Charmed: Virtual Season Nine
by Nerf
Summary: A new season of Charmed that takes place directly after "Kill Billie Vol. 2." Piper must find a way to bring her sisters back to life before stopping Billie and Christy once and for all. Meanwhile, there is a new evil that is shadowed in mystery.
1. Episode One: From the Ashes

_**Episode 9.01: From the Ashes**_

The door to Phoebe's apartment swung back, banging against the wall, as an explosive force hit it. Piper dropped her hands to her sides and entered the apartment, with Leo following.

"Piper," Leo hissed. "You have to be quiet. The neighbors will hear you."

"Well I don't have a key, Leo!" Piper snapped. "What should I have done, pick the lock?"

Leo didn't answer. He knew his wife was distraught at the moment. It wouldn't be good to argue with her over little things. Instead he closed the door, as well as he could, and followed Piper over to the couch by the fireplace.

The Book of Shadows sat on the coffee table and Piper immediately began to flip through its pages like a mad woman.

"Okay, can you stop for a moment?" Leo asked, sitting down. He laid his hands down over Piper's. "You've barely said a word since we left..." He was about to say "the manor", but that was no longer entirely true. The once beautiful victorian home was now just a pile of smoldering rubble.

Piper looked up at her husband, momentarily giving him an angry glare. But just the sight of him made her gaze soften. She knew she couldn't be mad at him for not knowing what was going on. How could he? Leo had been taken from her by the Angel of Destiny and had been frozen for months, only returned once the ultimate power had been stopped with Christy's death.

Piper took a great, shuddering breath.

"I can't explain it all right now," she said. "But the short version is that Billie finally found her sister. We brought her in and treated her like family, but oops, she turned out to be evil. Billie sided with her and together they became the Ultimate Power."

"What's that?" Leo asked.

"What we had to stop so we could get you back." Piper gave a harsh laugh, shaking her head. "We were _so_ stupid. See, I thought the Ultimate Power would be another demon, like the Source or Zankou. Something obviously evil. But no, it was something _so_ much more sinister."

Piper got to her feet and started to pace, running shaky hands through her hair.

"The Triad finally figured it out, Leo. The way to destroy the Charmed Ones isn't with demons. It's by getting us to trust people. Regular people that we think are good, but then, at just the right moment, turn on us. I've got to hand it to them; that was smart."

"So Billie is evil?" Leo asked.

Piper shrugged and dropped back down onto the couch. "Pretty much. Her sister was raised by demons and she sided with her sister and tried to kill us. That makes her evil in my book. Phoebe had her doubts the whole way, but she was wrong." She hung her head as tears filled her eyes and dripped down her face, adding more sting to her wounds. "Dead wrong."

Leo's face crumbled. He couldn't bear to see in wife in this much pain. He reached out a hand and moved her hair, caressing Piper's ash-stained face. He traced a finger around the edge of the cut on Piper's forehead.

"We should really do something about that cut," he said.

Piper shook her head, wiping the tears from her face. "No. There's no time for that." She turned back to the Book and resumed flipping the pages. Usually she took great care turning the ancient tome's delicate pages, but at the moment she didn't care.

Leo sighed. "Piper... are you sure you can fix this?"

Piper paused for only a split second. "I have to."

"But you were never able to bring Prue back," Leo said. "What makes you think the Book can help you this time?"

"You're right," Piper said, stopping once again. She closed the Book and set it aside. "We need a higher power."

"The Elders? I don't think they can help."

"Why not?!" Piper screamed, causing Leo to flinch. She was breaking down, starting to lose control of her emotions. "We have busted our asses for them for eight years. They owe us, Leo. Come to think of it, they _need_ us. Without the Charmed Ones, who's going to save the world the next time some demon with a big ego comes along?"

Leo took Piper's hands in his own. "Piper, it just doesn't work that way. They don't have that kind of power."

"Then what good are they?!" Piper yelled, tearing her hands from Leo's grasp.

She heaved a sigh and dropped her head into her hands. When she looked back up her eyes had once again filled with tears. She held them back, not wanting to completely break down. It took almost all her strength, and when she spoke her words came out in a raspy whisper.

"Leo... my sisters are dead. I have to try to bring them back. Can't you just support me in this?"

Leo looked into his wife's eyes, seeing all the pain they held. It just about brought him to tears as well. "Okay," he said with a nod. "Let's go to the Elders."

"Thank you," Piper said with a small smile. "Now we just have to figure out a way to get there."

"This is one of those times where I wish I still had my powers."

Piper patted his arm. "I know. But there has to be another way. There has to be someone..." Her eyes lit up as she got an idea. "Coop."

Leo frowned. "Who?"

"Phoebe's boyfriend... sort of," Piper said. "He's a Cupid." She called out for him and, after a few moments of waiting, Coop appeared in a flash of pink light.

"What is it?" Coop asked. He looked around. "Where's Phoebe?"

"Phoebe and Paige are dead," Piper said. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying again.

"What?" Coop gasped. "But--"

Piper held up a hand to silence him. "I don't have time to explain. But don't worry, I'm going to bring them back. I just need your help."

"Anything," Coop said.

"I need you to take me to see the Elders," Piper said. "I'm hoping that they can help me find a way to bring Phoebe and Paige back to life. Now, I know they sent you in the first place, so you must be able to have contact with them. Can you get me there?"

Coop nodded. "Yeah, of course." He held out his hand and Piper took it, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"I'm coming too," Leo said, getting up and taking Piper's other hand.

Coop closed his eyes and his ring glowed. A moment later they all disappeared in a flash of pink light.

-x-

Dumain paced around the Great Hall of Magic School.

"It's all over," he muttered to himself. "The Triad is dead... This whole plan has been a failure."

He turned to the sound of someone coming down the hall. It was Billie. She had cuts all over her body and dark ash stains covered her clothes and skin.

"Billie," Dumain said. "What happened?"

"The sisters got the Hollow, too," Billie said. She was having a hard time speaking, for she was crying and shaking from head to foot. "We fought and then there was an explosion. The manor is gone... Christy's dead." Actually saying it made the truth strike home. Christy was gone. Billie had just got her sister back and now she was dead.

"What about the Charmed Ones?" Dumain asked.

Billie shook her head. "Piper's the only one left."

_Hmm_, Dumain thought. _Maybe all is not lost_.

"I've lost everyone," Billie whispered. "My parents, my sister. I have no one left." She slowly dropped to a sitting position, bringing her knees to her chest.

A sly look came over Dumain's face as he thought of an idea.

"Maybe not," he said, kneeling in front of Billie. He took her chin in his hand and lifted it to get her to look at him. "There may be a way to get your sister back."

"How?" Billie asked.

"The Grimoire," Dumain said.

Billie wiped her eyes, trying to stop the tears. "The Grimoire? I think I read about that in the Book of Shadows. Isn't it an evil book of magic?"

Dumain rolled his eyes. "Are you going to believe something the Charmed Ones wrote? It may not have the traditional types of spells and potions, but it's not evil. The Charmed Ones just called it that. They never were open to other forms of magic; other ways of doing things."

"How do we get it?" Billie asked.

"The Charmed Ones stole it and hid it, is what I know. Did the Book say what they did with it?"

Billie bit her lip as she thought back. "I think it said that Leo hid it somewhere."

"Where?" Dumain asked.

Billie shook her head. "I don't remember."

"That's all right," Dumain said. "But we have to get that page. Did the Book survive the blast?"

"I don't think it was there," Billie said.

"Then it must be at Phoebe's condo," Dumain said. He helped Billie up and handed her a few teleportation potions. "Go there and rip that page from the Book. Then come back here."

"What if Piper is there?"

"Are you strong enough to fight?"

Billie rubbed a sore spot on her shoulder, but nodded. "I think so."

"Then do whatever it takes to get that page," Dumain said.

"I don't want to kill her," Billie said. "If she is feeling as much pain as I am right now... I just can't." She turned away to look out of the tall, arched windows.

Dumain's face darkened, but he had to keep up the act.

"All right," he said.

Inwardly he cursed the foolish witch. If she hadn't been a whiny little girl for so long, then they would have never been in this mess. He so wished he could just kill her, if only to shut her up. But he needed her.

"Just get the page." He patted her hand consolingly, as much as it pained him.

Billie nodded and threw down a potion, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

-x-

The realm of the Whitelighters is pure white; white fog, tall white pillars, and white robes worn by the Whitelighters themselves.

Currently they were all scurrying about, speaking in their own language, which consisted of a series of clicks and clacks. With all the commotion it was quite loud for a place that was usually a place of hushed tones. But news had reached them that made them all forget those unspoken rules.

The Ultimate Power had been stopped and the Triad had been vanquished once and for all. This would set evil back many years. That was the good news. Yet there was bad news as well.

Two of the Charmed Ones were dead, effectively putting an end to them. With them gone, evil would regain power a lot faster than they would have, and the balance of power would begin to shift. Without the Charmed Ones, the world was evil's oyster.

Not that the Charmed Ones were the only witches fighting against evil. They were just the strongest. Yes, the Elders knew that the Charmed Ones would die at some point, as all humans do. But they had been counting on them to raise their children, who would become the next strongest force of good. However, with Piper being the only sister left alive, the children would have little protection. It would not take evil long to kill the mother and then go after them.

This was the subject on every Whitelighter's lips. They were trying to come up with ideas about what to do when the pure white of the realm was suddenly disrupted by a bright pink light, bringing with it Coop, Piper, and Leo. The Whitelighters gathered around them, whispering to one another.

Piper looked around, annoyed.

"Okay," she said, holding up her hands. "Can you all stop it with the clickity clacking? It's making the headache I already have worse."

They all fell silent. They knew how much pain she must have been in and didn't want to add to it. One Whitelighter even came up to Piper and asked if he could heal her wounds.

"Yes, thank you," Piper said. Once she was healed she asked, "I need to speak with the Elders."

"I will take you to them," said the Whitelighter that had healed her, bowing slightly.

He turned and walked away through the fog with Piper, Leo, and Coop following. They soon arrived at huge double doors made of white marble. The doors swung open and Piper and the two men went through, entering into a large room.

Raised benches encircled the room, their seats filled with nearly a hundred Elders, who watched the three visitors in silence. A table, also made of white marble, stood in the center of the room, with three Elders seated at it.

Piper knew two of them. One was a woman with blonde hair. Her name was Sandra. Even though Piper despised all Elders, she felt it less so with Sandra, who had always been kinder and more helpful than the rest.

The second she didn't have any liking for. His name was Odin. Paige had told Piper that he had been one of the Elders who let her keep Magic School open. That was great and all, but since then Odin had been working against them, especially when it came to Leo. Odin had been one of the leading Elders in the situation with Leo the previous year, and had even been the one to wipe his memory during a test.

_A rigged test_, Piper thought.

The middle one, however, she did not know. But Leo did. His name was Kheel, and he had once tried to kill Leo after the Elders found out about Leo being an Avatar.

"Welcome to The Hall of Elders," Kheel said. He glanced at Leo and gave a curt nod. "Leo."

Leo responded with a glare. "Kheel."

"Can we skip the pleasantries?" Piper said. "I don't like you, and you don't like me, but we have a crisis. Which I'm sure you know about."

Kheel glanced at the other two, then nodded. "Yes, we do. It is most unfortunate. We are sorry for your loss."

Piper gaped. "That's it? You're _sorry_? What about helping to fix all this?"

"There is nothing we can do," Kheel said.

"But... but there has to be," Piper said, finding herself suddenly short of breath.

Leo put a calming hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"The Angel of Destiny," Piper said. "She said that the battle didn't end how she expected it to. That must mean that it could have happened a different way. Which means it can be changed."

"Maybe," Sandra said. "We have discussed it, but we have found no options."

Piper was growing increasingly hysterical, wringing her hands. Her eyes flicked around as she tried to come up with solutions.

"What about time travel?" she asked. "Can't you reverse time?"

"That is most definitely _not_ an option," said Odin. "The Triad is dead and the Ultimate Power has been neutralized. We will not risk changing that."

"But my sisters are dead!" Piper screamed.

"Everyone loses people at some point," Odin said with a shrug. "Get over it and move on with your life."

Piper had to clench her hands into fists to stop herself from using her powers.

"I hate you," she hissed in a vehement whisper, her face red with anger. "I hate all of you!"

She turned and stalked out of the room, Leo and Coop hurrying to keep up with her. Once outside the Hall of Elders, Piper stopped.

"Let's get out of here," she said

"Wait!" came a voice from behind them. Sandra was rushing out of the Hall towards them.

"What do you want?" Piper asked.

"I want to help you," Sandra said.

"Can you?" asked Leo.

"Well, I at least know someone who can," Sandra said.

She led them to a secluded area and waved her hand, causing a spirit to appear before them.

"Drake," Piper said, surprised.

"Hey Piper," Drake said. He glanced at Leo and smiled. "Looks like love is still going strong for you two."

"You're a spirit," Piper said.

"Well, I qualified," Drake said.

Sandra nodded. "When Drake died he had to have a trial of sorts to decide where he would go. I was there, and, with other powerful beings, we came to the decision that Drake would move on as all humans do. He had never done any evils as a demon and did much good as a human. He earned it."

"Well thank you very much," Drake said in his Elvis impression.

"Okay, but how does this help me get my sisters back?" Piper asked.

All traces of a smile instantly faded from Drake's face.

"Wait, Phoebe's dead?"

"What, you haven't seen her wherever spirits go?"

Drake shrugged. "There are a lot of dead people, Piper. I can't talk to them all. But, moving on. How can I help?"

"I believe you know someone," Sandra said pointedly. "Someone who would be able to contact another someone who could help change the events that have gone on."

Drake frowned. "I do?"

Sandra nodded. "You do. He has helped all of you before, he may do so again." She bowed. "Good luck."

After Sandra had left, Piper asked, "Who is she talking about?"

Drake had now realized who Sandra had meant. "Cole," he said.

"Cole?" Piper gasped.

"Phoebe's dead ex-boyfriend?" Coop suddenly spoke up. "The former Source of all evil? _That_ Cole?"

"Ssh!" Piper waved her hand at Coop, silencing him. To Drake she asked, "How can Cole help? How do you even know him?"

"Well, he helped me become human by setting me up with that sorcerer," Drake said. "He also sent the Thorn demons after you."

"Why?"

"So that your and Leo's love would survive. And, by seeing that you two could make it, Phoebe wouldn't give up on love." Drake paused. "Hmm. I wonder if he wanted that kept a secret..."

"Wait," Piper said. "He can contact demons from his little limbo prison? How?"

"Well, it's complicated."

"Never mind," Piper said, waving a dismissive hand. "We don't have time for that." She stopped, realization dawning. "Time... of course! If Cole can contact demons, then he can contact Tempus and get him to reverse time!"

"I thought Tempus was dead," Leo said. "Didn't the last time reversal he did when you were exposed kill him?"

"No, that wasn't him," Drake said with a chuckle. "That was a ruse. The Source reversed time himself, to make sure he could control the outcome."

"How do you know about all that?" Piper asked.

"Are you kidding?" Drake asked. "Every demon knows about that."

"Whatever," Piper said. "We have to find a way to contact Cole."

"Wait a minute," Coop said, holding up his hands in a "time out" gesture. "If we just need to contact Tempus, why do we need Cole?"

"Tempus is very isolated," Drake said. "Not many can get to him, or even want to. Cole could easily find him. Plus, even if you did find another demon who could get to Tempus, what makes you think they would actually help?"

Leo nodded. "He's right. News of Phoebe and Paige will spread quickly. Demons probably won't be very willing to help Piper when they know that she's the only Charmed One left standing." He turned to his wife. "Without your sisters, you're not as much of a threat. They won't be afraid of you, or hesitate to kill you."

"I won't be alone for long," Piper said with determination. "We better get going. Thanks for your help, Drake."

"Anytime," Drake said, dissolving into a swirl of white lights.

-x-

Billie appeared in Phoebe's apartment in a puff of white smoke. The lights were on and she tensed up, fearing an attack. But the place was silent; empty.

Relaxing, she looked around. She spotted the Book of Shadows on the coffee table and went over to it, sitting down on the couch. After several minutes of page flipping she found the page she was looking for: The Grimoire. A picture of the book adorned the top of the page.

_Paige must have drawn this_, Billie thought as she ran her fingers over the drawing. She knew that Paige was the only one of the sisters with a talent for art. She felt a sudden pain in her chest. _Was_. Past tense. Because of her.

She shook her head, trying to shake off the guilt.

"I had to," she said, trying to reassure herself that she had done the right thing. It didn't work very well.

There was a flash of pink light and Coop appeared with Piper and Leo in tow.

"Piper," Billie gasped.

Piper's gaze hardened. "Billie..."

Piper shot out her hands. Billie ducked and a lamp behind her exploded. Before Piper could attack again, Billie ripped the page she needed out of the Book and threw down another potion.

"Dammit!" Piper yelled as the smoke from Billie's potion faded.

"She took a page from the Book," Leo said.

Piper sighed. "It doesn't matter. If all goes according to plan, then whatever she does with that page will be reversed."

"What exactly is the plan?" Coop asked. "I want Phoebe back, but not at the risk of losing the last living Charmed One. You're too important to this world."

"The plan," Piper said, sitting down at the Book, "is to find some Thorn demons, get myself infected, and call out for Cole. Then hopefully, like last time, he will come and then I can go from there."

"Wait," Leo said. "You want to infect yourself? Piper, that's insane. We have no one to heal you. I can't let you do this."

"I have to be near death to contact Cole," Piper said. "I'm choosing the Thorn demons because their poison is slow acting, giving me enough time to talk to Cole. Then, when time is reversed, my body can be taken to Paige, who can then heal me."

Leo raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Paige can heal?"

Piper gave a weak smile. "You sure have missed a lot."

"It's still risky," Leo said.

Piper stopped looking through the Book and turned her gaze to her husband. "Leo? I would risk anything to save my sisters. I don't care if I am putting myself in jeopardy. If I can save them then that's all that matters." She cut Leo off when he tried to protest. "You can't stop me. I love you, but I just want you to sit down and shut up so I can do this, okay?"

Leo stayed silent as Piper turned back to the Book.

"Here they are." She quickly skimmed over the provided information. "All right, I'll cast a spell to find them. Coop, can you take me there when I'm done?"

Coop sighed. "I guess so."

"I'm going too," Leo said.

"No," Piper said firmly. "It's too dangerous for you. I just got you back and I'm not going to lose you now."

"You _will_ lose me," Leo said. "If this works, and time resets, I go back to being a popsicle."

"Hey," Piper said, her voice softening. She stood up and walked over to Leo, embracing him and giving him a kiss. "It'll be okay. I'm going to get you back. No matter what."

Leo didn't answer, casting his gaze down at the floor.

Piper broke away and picked up a pad of paper and a pen from the coffee table. "Let's get to work."

-x-

Billie appeared in the hallway just outside the Great Hall. She waved away the smoke from her potion and was about to enter when she heard voices. Peeking around the door frame she saw that Dumain was not alone.

A demon with unruly hair and a goatee stood at the front of a group of about ten demons. Billie didn't know it, but it was Nomed, the demon who had most recently helped the Charmed Ones. His arms were crossed and he was talking to Dumain with a coy smile on his face.

"I had no idea everything was going to work out this well," Nomed was saying. "Not only is the Triad out of the way, but so are the Charmed Ones and the Ultimate Power. You were a fool to side with the Triad, Dumain. Their ways of running things are so old hat."

"You think you can do better?" Dumain asked.

"Yes," Nomed said with a nod. "I do. I am the leader of a large clan of demons. We have been gathering together for quite some time now and were just waiting for the right moment to take over. Now that time has come, and there is no one left to stand in my way."

"Except me," Billie said, coming out of her hiding place.

The demons all turn at the sound of her voice and several of Nomed's lackeys tense up, suspecting an attack.

"Billie," Nomed said, taking a surprised step backward. "I thought you were dead."

"And I thought you were-- Oh, wait." Billie paused and tilted her head to the side. "I don't even know you."

"I'm--" Nomed started.

"And guess what?" Billie interrupted. "I _so_ don't care."

She swung her arm and Nomed flew backward, crash landing on a table and breaking it in half. Two of his demon followers conjured energy balls and threw them at Billie. With another swing, she sent the attacks back at the demons, vanquishing them. The others started to back off, nervous.

"Billie!" Dumain yelled, running over to her. "Do you have it?"

Billie nodded. "Yeah."

Nomed got to his feet. "Attack, you fools! Without her sister, she's nothing!"

The demons started to advance. Billie glanced around and saw a large bookcase. Using her power, she caused it to fall, crushing three of the demons under it.

"We have to get out of here," Dumain said.

He took Billie by the arm and shimmered out with her. A moment later they appeared in a cavern of the Underworld.

"What are we doing here?" Billie asked, looking around in confusion.

"Believe it or not," Dumain said, "this is the safest place for us right now."

"What are we going to do about... Whateverhisnameis?"

"Nomed," Dumain said. "We can't defeat him yet. But we can if we get the Grimoire."

"I thought we were going to use it to get Christy back."

Dumain nodded. "We will. But we can also use it for so much more. If we have the Grimoire, Nomed won't be able to stand up to us. No one will."

"You can use it however you want," Billie said with a shrug. "But once I get my sister back I'm done. I'm sick of all this fighting and I just want to move on with my life."

"Whatever you want," Dumain said. "Now, show me the page."

Billie pulled the folded page out of her pocket. She unfolded it and read it over. "Uh... says here that it's in a mountain of rock in the West Andes." She let out a defeated sigh. "Guess that ends our plan."

"Why's that?"

"Weren't you listening? It's buried in the Andes mountains! Which, if you didn't know, are quite big. How are we going to find it?"

Dumain shook his head as he looked at Billie. "You really haven't been a witch that long," he said. "It shows."

"What are you talking about?"

"We'll use magic to get it, of course," Dumain said. "You can use your projection power to bring it to you."

"Then why did we need this page from the Book at all?" Billie asked, her frustration growing. "Why couldn't I have just summoned it from Magic School?"

"Because your power isn't that strong yet," Dumain said. "We'll have to be close for it to be able to come to us. Now we know it's in those mountains. Come, let's hurry."

He took Billie's hand and shimmered out.

-x-

In another cavern of the Underworld, a small clan of Thorn demons sat around a crackling fire, arguing over what to do now that the Triad was dead. Two were male, one was female. One of the males had tribal tattoos decorating his face, marking him as the leader.

"We must side with Nomed," he said. "He is the most powerful leader now that the Triad is gone."

"No," said the female demon. Her dark eyes flashed violently in the fire light as she rebelled against her leader. "We must fight against him! He is not worthy to rule the Underworld. He will bring nothing but chaos with his foolish ideas."

"I agree," said the third demon, nodding as he spoke. "We cannot break away from the old ways. Nomed wants to change everything. We can't allow that to happen."

The tattooed demon got to his feet, glowering at the other two. "Listen to me, you fools. If we do not side with jim, he will kill us."

"No, actually, that would be me."

The demons turned to see Piper and Coop; Piper's gaze hard and defiant, Coop's filled with unease.

"Kill her!" the leader of the clan yelled.

Piper grabbed Coop and pulled him behind a large rock that protruded from the ground as fireballs streaked through the air at them.

_I have to go about this carefully_, Piper thought as she remembered that she had to leave the female for last. Females were the only ones of a Thorn demon clan that had the ability to shoot the poisonous thorns from their mouths. _Which makes me wonder why all of them are called Thorn demons and why the females aren't in charge_.

"Stay here," she whispered to Coop.

Taking a deep breath, Piper ducked out of her hiding place and threw up her hands to release her devastating power. The leader of the clan took the hit and exploded. The female chucked a fireball at Piper, but Piper blasted it and the resulting shock wave knocked the female back against the hard rock wall.

"Piper, look out!" Coop yelled in warning.

Piper turned to find that the other demon had shimmered behind her. She felt her lip split open as the demon punched her in the face, sending her reeling to the sandy ground. He conjured a fireball and held it above his head, grinning as he relished the moment.

It was a moment too long, for Coop crashed into the demon, taking him down. Piper scrambled to her feet and, once Coop had rolled away, blew up the demon. Wiping the blood from her lip, Piper turned to the female, who was backed against the wall. Fear in her eyes, the demon took a great breath and spit a volley of thorns from her mouth, three of them striking Piper in her left arm.

"Thanks," Piper said, resisting the urge to wince. "Just what I needed.

A look of confusion started to replace the one of fear on the demon's face, but Piper blew her up before it could fully form.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Coop asked.

"No," Piper said, taking out the thorns and throwing them to the side. "But it's the only one I have."

She took a step and stumbled, suddenly woozy. She was starting to sweat profusely, her hair matting to her face. Piper could feel the poison flowing through her, making her sick to her stomach. She bent over slightly and placed her hands on her knees to hold herself up.

"Wow," she panted, her breath coming in short gasps. "Last time... I just got hit by one. Guess three work a little faster."

"Piper..." Coop started.

Piper suddenly collapsed to the ground. A moment later she was up again. At least, some form of her was. Her body was still on the ground.

"It worked," she said.

"Looks like," Coop said, obviously uncomfortable with the entire situation.

Piper turned to him, confused. "Wait, you can see me?"

Coop shrugged. "Love transcends all planes of existence. I'm made of love, so I can be on every plane at once."

"Weird."

"Yeah. Now you better get started. If your body dies before we can call Cole..."

"Yeah, yeah," Piper said. "I know." She took a deep breath and then called out, "Cole?! If you can hear me, I need you! Are you there?" Worry started to well up in her. What if he didn't come? The answer was simple: she'd be dead. "Cole!"

Finally, a gray wisp of what looked like smoke appeared and formed into Cole. He looked just as he did when Piper last saw him.

"Piper," he said, confused. "What brings you to this plane of existence?"

"Phoebe and Paige are dead," Piper said, getting straight to the point.

Cole hung his head. "Yeah," he said in a pained whisper. "I know."

Piper narrowed her eyes. "You know? How do you know?" She shook her head. "Never mind. I don't have time for explanations. Literally, I don't, since I'm dying. The fact is that my sisters are dead and I need your help to get them back."

"Me?" Cole asked, pointing at himself. "How can I help? If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of stuck in limbo."

"I know you can contact demons," Piper said. "I don't know how, but you can. So there is a demon that can help me that I need you to get."

Cole raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Tempus."

Cole gave a halfhearted chuckle. "You really think he'll help you?"

"I don't know," Piper said. "But I have to ask him. Can you get him here or not?"

"I can," Cole said.

"Then do it."

Cole was about to leave when he spotted Coop. "Who are you?"

"I'm a Cupid," Coop said bluntly. Obviously he wasn't very keen on the idea of Phoebe's ex-boyfriend coming to the rescue.

"Cole, just get going!" Piper yelled.

"I'm gone," Cole said. And he was.

Piper sighed and looked down at her prone body. "He better hurry..."

-x-

The sun was just starting to rise above the horizon, bathing the West Andes in a warm, pale yellow light. Atop one of the high peaks stands Billie, her eyes closed and her arms stretched out in front of her, palms up. Dumain stood behind Billie, coaching her.

"Concentrate," Dumain said. "You saw the picture of the Grimoire. Concentrate on that image. Picture the book in your hands."

"I could picture it a lot clearer if you would put a lid on it," Billie snapped in annoyance.

"Sorry," Dumain said, gritting his teeth. On the inside he was just itching to be able to kill her so he wouldn't have to deal with her childish attitude any longer.

The two stood in silence for several minutes. Suddenly there was a bright flash of golden light and the Grimoire appeared in Billie's hands. She opened her eyes and looked down at the ink black book in disbelief.

"I did it," she breathed.

The Grimoire started to wriggle and squirm, like a frightened animal being held against its will, and leapt out of Billie's hands, plopping on the ground several feet away.

"What happened?" Billie asked.

"The book protects itself from good," Dumain said, walking over to the Grimoire. "It can only be touched by evil." He bent down and picked the book up.

"Wait," Billie said. "If you can touch it, then that must mean..."

"I'm evil?" Dumain said with a grin. "Smart girl."

He then backhanded Billie, sending her flying through the air. She slammed into the rock face of the mountain and crumpled to the ground.

"I'm so glad I can finally stop with this charade," Dumain continued. "It was getting so tiresome. Especially when I had to pretend like I didn't want to rip that little blonde head off your body."

"You tricked us," Billie wheezed, pushing herself up.

"Us?" Dumain repeated. "Oh, you mean Christy? No, see, Christy knew. She knew the whole time."

"That's not possible," Billie said. "She would never work with someone she knew was evil."

Dumain rolled his eyes. "Don't you get it? Christy _was_ evil."

Billie shook her head. "No," she said, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "She wasn't."

"Yes, she was," Dumain said. "She was acting, same as me. That was the whole plan. Make us seem like the good guys and the Charmed Ones seem like the bad guys. So you would join us and help kill them. Which you did." Dumain smiled. "Thanks for the help."

"You bastard!" Billie screamed.

She swung her arm and Dumain was telekinetically flung off the side of the mountain. Which wasn't a problem for him. He had what he needed. Now he could use the Grimoire to become the Source and take over the Underworld. Then, as unprotected as it was, the rest of the planet.

Dumain laughed as he allowed himself to fall for quite a ways; it was actually pretty fun. Deciding to be a daredevil, he allowed himself to fall to ten feet above the ground, then shimmered out.

Back up on the peak, Billie sat crying. For several minutes she just sat, letting all her emotions out. Finally she got up and pulled out her last teleportation potion. There was only one place she could go. Throwing down the vial, she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

-x-

Leo was ransacking the cupboards of Phoebe's kitchen, searching for food. Technically he hadn't eaten anything in months, and just the thought of that made him really hungry. He pulled out a box of crackers and opened them, starting to munch on the snack as he walked into the adjoining living room.

A plume of smoke suddenly erupted in the middle of the room, which startled Leo and caused him to drop his box of crackers. The smoke cleared to reveal Billie.

"Billie!" Leo yelled, starting to back away.

"Don't worry," Billie said, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to talk." She glanced around. "Where's Piper?"

"Not here," was all Leo said. He didn't want to let Billie know that his wife was trying to reverse time. "What do you want?"

Billie rubbed her arms, looking very distressed. "I... I just want to say I'm sorry." Tears started to stream from her eyes and she dropped down on a chair. "It was all a trick, Leo!"

Leo was cautious. This could just be some ploy. "What was?"

"Everything," Billie said. "Dumain is evil and so was Christy. They just made it seem like the sisters were the evil ones. They brainwashed me!"

Leo didn't say anything, but sat down in a chair across from Billie.

"I'm so sorry," Billie sobbed. "Paige and Phoebe are dead because of me. I didn't want to hurt anyone, but Christy insisted that we had to. I went along with it because she was my sister and I didn't think she would want me to do something wrong."

"But now you know it was wrong," Leo said.

Billie nodded. "I know I can't make up for it, but I really just want to say I'm sorry and try to help you guys in any way I can. Maybe together we can come up with a way to bring Paige and Phoebe back to life."

"Don't you want to bring Christy back?" Leo asked.

Billie shook her head. "No. I know now that she was evil. She was raised by demons, for crying out loud." She sighed. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"You weren't stupid," Leo said, grasping Billie's hand. His old Whitelighter ways were starting to kick in. "She was your sister and you loved her. Love is pretty blinding."

"Yeah," Billie said. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So... is there any way I can help?"

"Well, actually, Piper is already working on something," Leo said.

"Can I help her?" Billie asked.

Leo shook his head. "All we can do is wait."

"That's not all you can do."

Leo and Billie spun around to see Dumain standing in the center of the room, a fireball hovering above his palm and an expression of gleeful malice on his face.

"You can die."

-x-

Down in the Underworld Piper paced back and forth, finally stopping to look up at the rock ceiling.

"Come on, Cole! I'm about to die here!" Piper yelled.

"Uh, Piper?" Coop said.

"What?"

Coop pointed at her feet and Piper looked down to see that she was standing with her right foot _in_ her body's head. With a yelp she jumped away.

"This is getting _way_ too creepy," she said through clenched teeth. "Cole!"

Cole appeared in the cavern a moment later. "You know, patience is a virtue."

"Cut the crap," Piper said. "Where's Tempus?"

"Here."

A circle of fire appeared on the ground and Tempus rose up from it. He was now very old; his skin hung in wrinkles, and he was hunched over, having to use a cane just to hold himself up.

"You're Tempus?" Piper scoffed. "I expected someone a little more... intimidating."

"I used to be," Tempus croaked, his voice weak and raspy. "Before you and your sisters cast that spell."

Piper shrugged. "Yeah, well, you were trying to kill us. But hey, that's all in the past. This is now."

"Do not dare speak to me about the past or present, Witch," Tempus growled, drawing himself up to his full height. "Or especially the future. You cannot even comprehend the great intricacies of time."

"Whatever," Piper said. "Let's get to the point. You came here, so obviously you were intrigued by what Cole told you. So... will you help me?"

"Only on two conditions," Tempus said.

"Of course," Piper muttered.

Tempus ignored her. "You must kill someone for me."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't worry, it's not a human," Tempus chuckled. "It's a demon."

Piper sighed. "Okay, who?"

"I believe you already know him. Nomed."

"The demon who just helped me and my sisters?" Piper asked. "Why would you want to kill him?"

"Now that all obstacles are out of his way, he plans to take over the Underworld," Tempus explained. "His ways are very untraditional. He will change everything."

Piper crossed her arms as she started to lose patience. "So?"

"So," Tempus continued, "he will want to take out anyone he knows will stand in his way; anyone who would be a threat. I would be one of them. All the other leaders of the Underworld have let me be. They leave me alone out of respect for all the work I have done. But Nomed will never let me live."

"Fine," Piper said. "I'll do it. Is that it?"

Tempus held up a pale, quivering finger. "One more thing. When you once again have the Power of Three, I want you to cast a spell on me. One that will return me to how I once was."

"What?!" Piper balked.

"Turing back time will take a lot out of me," Tempus said. "I'll be even weaker than I am now. I won't live long. So, like anyone, I don't want that."

Piper shook her head. "Out of the question. If we return you to normal you might come after us again."

Tempus nodded. "Maybe I will, but maybe I won't. The thing is, if you don't give me your word on this then you will never get your sisters back."

"I can find another way," Piper said.

"Can you?" Tempus grinned, revealing cracked, yellowed teeth. "I don't think you can."

Piper just stared at him, thinking it all over.

"Decide quickly, little witch," Tempus said. "I sense your time is almost up. Along with someone else's."

"What are you talking about?" Piper asked.

"I'm just saying that someone else you love may be on the brink of death." He stared pointedly at her and grinned once again.

"Leo..." Piper whispered.

-x-

Leo dived out of the way as Dumain threw a fireball.

"You know, it's interesting what that book can do." Dumain chuckled as he conjured another fireball. "One quick little ritual and I have been filled with all the powers of the Source. And without the Charmed Ones, this world is mine."

"Wanna bet?"

Billie leapt forward and planted a kick in Dumain's chest, knocking him back onto the coffee table. In seconds, Dumain was back on his feet, but Billie gave a swipe kick to his jaw, sending him back to the floor.

"Stupid Billie," Dumain said with a laugh. "You are a fool if you think you can defeat me."

"I don't," Billie said. "I'm just going to hold you off for as long as I can. Leo, get out of here!"

Leo ran for the door.

"No, stay!" Dumain yelled.

He waved his hand and a force field appeared in front of the door, knocking Leo onto his back as he slammed into it.

"The party's not over yet," Dumain continued as he got back to his feet. With a swing of his arm he sends a rippling shock wave through the air that blasts Billie across the room. Turning back to Leo, Dumain conjured a fireball.

"Poor, pathetic Leo," Dumain said. "I know, you don't know who I am, but I know all about you. You've become weak. A weak little mortal. Your wife won't appreciate you anymore, now that you're of no more use."

"Shut up," Leo said through gritted teeth.

Dumain ignored him. "You can't go to the Elders anymore, you can't heal the sisters when they are hurt. All you can do is be Mr. Mom. Man, you are so whipped. Here... let me end your misery."

He pulled back his arm and threw the fireball, but Billie jumped in front of it just before it hit Leo.

"No!" Leo yelled.

He pulled Billie up into a sitting position. Her chest was burned and bloody, her breaths coming in short gasps.

"Leo," Billie whispered. "Tell Piper I'm sorry." Her body went limp.

"Aw, what a touching moment," Dumain said. "Looks like you better orb on over to Piper and give her that message. Oh, whoops! You can't. Don't worry, I'll give it to her. Right before I kill her."

"Bastard!" Leo yelled, jumping up and running at Dumain.

Dumain laughed and threw a fireball, which vaporized Leo on contact.

"Well," he said with a grin. "That was fun. Now there's just one more to go."

-x-

"Better hurry," Tempus said. "Your lover's time is almost-- Oh. Never mind."

"No!" Piper screamed, dropping to her knees. "Not him too!"

"You can fix all of this," Tempus said. "Just give me what I want."

Piper looked up at the demon through her tears. Everything inside of Piper was telling her that this was wrong. She had a feeling that if she made this deal it would have serious consequences. But what choice did she have? It was the only way to get back Leo and her sisters. Tempus was right. She had to.

"Okay," she said, defeated. "I'll do it."

"Good," Tempus said with a small chuckle.

He snapped his fingers and two things appeared; an hourglass in his hand and a large black bowel on the ground. He poured some silver sand from the hourglass into his hand, letting it sift through his fingers to fall into the bowel. With another snap of his fingers a puff of smoke arose from the bowel, taking on the shape of a clock face for a split second before dissipating.

"It is done," Tempus said.

"How far back did you go?" Piper asked.

"To just before you summoned the Hollow," Tempus said.

"All right," Piper said with a nod. "Coop? Grab my body. We have to get to Paige so she can heal me."

Coop nodded, lifting Piper's limp body into his arms.

Piper pointed at Tempus. "You, follow him," she said. "If there are any tricks mixed into this, I want to make sure you are there so we can vanquish you. And Cole?"

She turned to thank him, but he wasn't there.

"Where'd he go?" Piper wondered. "Did anyone see him leave?"

Coop shook his head, while Tempus just looked bored.

"Piper, we better go," Coop said.

Piper looked around for a moment more, then nodded. "Yeah... Okay. Get going. I'll follow on my own."

"How?" Coop asked.

"This form is still attached to my body. I can't be far from it, so I will naturally follow. Now get going."

Coop nodded and disappeared, Tempus following. Piper felt a sudden pull and flew upwards, turning into a ball of white light that shoots through the ceiling.

-x-

Several flickering candles surrounded the Book of Shadows on Phoebe's coffee table and sent dancing shadows across the walls of her apartment. Phoebe and Paige stood in front of the table, while Nomed and his minion, Zohar, waited impatiently by the balcony doors.

"Piper, do you have the spell?"

Phoebe turned, looking around her dimly lit apartment.

"Uh, Paige?" she said. "Do you know where Piper went?"

Paige looked around as well. "She was here a second ago."

"Maybe she went to the bathroom," Phoebe muttered, biting her lip.

Nomed sighed. "This is no time for potty breaks! If Billie and Christy get the Hollow before you do then we're all dead!"

There was a bright flash of pink light and Coop appeared, Piper's body in his arms. A second later Tempus shimmered in next to him.

"Coop!" Phoebe yelled in surprise.

"Tempus!" Nomed yelled at the same time upon seeing the old demon. He backed up several steps while Zohar raised his hand to conjure an energy ball. One look from Tempus, however, stopped Zohar in his tracks.

"What's going on?" Paige asked.

Coop shook his head. "There's no time to explain. You have to heal Piper now."

He laid her body down on the floor and Paige rushed forward, holding her hands over her sister. A golden light spilled from them and washed over Piper's body. After a moment Piper gasped and shot up into a sitting position.

"Oh thank god!" she said, seeing her sisters alive and well. "It worked." She scrambled to her feet grabbed both of her sisters in a hug.

"What worked?" Phoebe asked as she blew strands of Piper's hair out of her face. "Piper, what the hell just happened?"

"Yeah, explain and let go," Paige wheezed. "Preferably in reverse order, since I can't breathe!"

"While you're at it, would you mind explaining what you are doing with this foul old demon?" Nomed sneered.

"Hush, you fool," Tempus croaked. "Piper? Your promise..."

"Yeah, yeah," Piper muttered, letting go of her sisters. She shot out her hands, but Nomed jumped behind Zohar, who was vanquished instead.

"Traitor!" Nomed yelled.

Piper raised her hands again, but Nomed shimmered out before she could release her power.

"Damn," she hissed.

"Piper, what did you just do?" Paige asked, her mouth hanging out in shock.

Piper sighed. "Guess I should explain, huh?"

"Yeah, you should," Phoebe said with a nod.

Piper took a deep breath and started her story. She went through it as fast as she could, choosing to leave out the part about Cole. She didn't want Phoebe to have to think about him. When she finished her sisters were staring at her with blank expressions.

"That's... quite a story," Paige said.

"Look, I know it's a lot to take in," Piper said. "But--"

"How did I look dead?" Phoebe asked.

"... What?"

Phoebe shrugged. "Well, was I disfigured beyond belief, or did I still look okay?"

Piper just shook her head and sighed.

"Only Phoebe could be concerned about her vanity when she's dead," Paige said with a roll of her eyes.

"We don't have time for this," Tempus said.

"Why did you even bring him?" Phoebe asked.

"You know him from before?" Paige asked.

"Yeah." Phoebe glared at Tempus. "He tried to kill us about seven years ago."

"Well, this time he helped us," Piper said. "Which means we have to give something in return..."

Phoebe raised her eyebrows. "Really? Which is what, exactly?"

Piper eyed Tempus. "We have to vanquish Nomed for him, which I'm fine with. And... reverse the spell we cast on him seven years ago."

"What?!" Phoebe yelled. "No way."

"Your sister agreed," Tempus said, a smile on his wrinkled face.

"Well I didn't!" Phoebe shot back.

"Phoebe, I gave my word," Piper said. "I had to, to get you back."

"And if you don't do it," Tempus added, "I will reverse my spell and you will go back to being dead."

Phoebe just shook her head and looked away.

"What about Billie and Christy?" Paige asked. "They've probably summoned the Hollow by now. We have to stop them."

Piper nodded. "We take care of them first," she said. She flicked her eyes to Tempus. "Then we'll do your spell."

Tempus nodded. "All right."

"But we need your help," Piper continued. "The only way to stop the Hollow is to get the box that it's kept in, then cast the spell inscribed on it. But we need both someone good and someone evil to say it."

"Which is where I come in, I suppose?"

Piper nodded.

"I don't like this..." Paige said warily.

"I know, Paige," Piper said. "But it's the only way."

Phoebe walked over to Coop and embraced him. "Look," she said, "Before we go, I just want to say--"

"Don't." Coop smiled and caressed Phoebe's cheek. "I'm not mad. I'm just happy that I have you back." He kissed her. "Be safe."

"I will," she said. She pulled away and brushed his face with her hand. "See you when I get back."

Tempus rolled his eyes and muttered, "Mortals."

"Can it," Phoebe said, pointing a threatening finger at the demon.

"Okay," Piper said, motioning her sisters over. "Let's go."

-x-

"I'm tired of waiting around here," Billie said as she and Christy came down the stairs of the manor. "I want to go out and consume powers. I _need_ to."

The hunger was overwhelming. Billie could feel it knawing at her insides like a rabid animal. Wyatt's powers had been a nice snack, but it wasn't enough. She needed more.

"I know," Christy said as they reached the ground floor. "But we have to wait for the Charmed Ones."

"I don't care about them anymore. The only thing that matters now is power."

"I know that as well. But their power will tide us over. Long enough for us to find a greater power. One that will sustain us for an eternity."

Billie nodded, resisting the urge to lick her lips. "You're right. I can hear the Hollow whispering inside of me. It wants to find the source of all magic. _I_ want to find it."

"We will," Christy said, laying a hand on her sister's shoulder. "And there will be lots of powers to consume on the way there. Starting with the Charmed Ones. They'll be here sooner or later."

"Sooner, actually."

Billie and Christy turn to the sunroom to see Paige, Piper and Phoebe, the last vestiges of blue orbs fading away. Tempus shimmers in next to Piper, who held the black box of the Hollow in her hands.

"Who are you?" Christy asked, eyeing Tempus.

"A demon," Tempus said. "That's all you need to know."

"You're working with demons now?" Billie asked. "You really are evil."

"That no longer matters," Christy said. "All that matters is their powers."

Billie just nodded. Her gaze was fixed on the box.

"What's that?" she asked. Inside her it felt as if the Hollow was quivering. It was afraid.

Piper smiled and tilted her head sideways. "Nothing you're gonna like."

With that she flipped open the lid of the box. Billie could feel the Hollow scream in pain and she and Christy started to convulse. The Hollow came streaming out of them and streaked across the room with a howl as it returned to its prison. Piper snapped the lid shut once the Hollow was inside.

"We'll hold them off while you say the spell," Phoebe said.

She rushed forward and proceeded to whip kick the confused Billie in the chest, knocking her back onto the couch that had been blasted back into the wall from an explosion earlier that day.

Christy formed a fireball and threw it at Piper.

"Fireball!" Paige called. The fireball was engulfed in swirling blue orbs and Paige waved her hand, sending the attack back at Christy, who dived out of the way.

"Come on," Piper said to Tempus. "We have to hurry."

Tempus laid a hand on Piper's shoulder and together they began the spell to send the Hollow back to its chamber.

"_Aboleo exitum cavium du eternas_!"

The box glowed and rose into the air, disappearing in a great flash of light.

"No!" Christy yelled. "Billie, let's get out of here!"

Billie was currently locked in battle with Phoebe, the two of them almost equally skilled in the martial arts. Phoebe swung a kick, but Billie ducked, the kick slicing through the air over her head. Phoebe used the momentum to spin back around with a backhanded punch. Billie blocked and grabbed Phoebe's arm, holding the middle Halliwell there.

"Seems like you're out of practice," Billie quipped. "And getting old."

Phoebe's eyes flashed violently and she spun into Billie, as if the two were dancing, not fighting, then bent forward while pulling on Billie's arm, flipping the young witch over her back and onto the floor.

"You were saying?"

Billie could only cough in response, the air having been knocked out of her.

Fire suddenly sprang up in front of Phoebe, forcing her to back away. Christy moved around behind the fire, her hand outstretched, controlling the blaze. "Time to go," she said, her eyes locked on the Charmed Ones that were being held at bay by the raging fire.

Billie got to her feet and pulled out a teleportation potion, dropping it to the floor, where it broke and released a cloud of smoke that engulfed the two sisters. Once they were gone the fire was no longer under control and started to spread.

"Fire extinguisher!" Paige yelled, calling it to her from the kitchen. She ran forward and started to spray at the fire, covering it, along with the floor and walls, with white foam.

While Paige put out the fire, Phoebe turned to Piper to find tears in her sister's eyes. "Piper, are you okay? I didn't see you get hit."

Piper shook her head. "They got away," she said, seething, her tears those of anger, not pain. "I had Leo back and now he's gone again because they're alive. We have to stop them."

"Don't worry," Phoebe said, rubbing Piper's arm. "We will."

-x-

Coop paced Phoebe's apartment, worried about her and her sisters. What if they didn't come back?

_If anything happens to Phoebe, it's my fault_, he thought. _I could have stopped all this from happening_.

Before he could blame himself anymore, his ring suddenly sparked and glowed, and Coop doubled over in pain.

After a few moments he straightened back up, looking around the room like he was seeing it for the very first time.

"Well what do you know?" he said, his mouth twitching into a sly, familiar grin. "Love really does transcend all planes of existence..."

_**To be continued...**_


	2. Episode Two: A Wound In Time

_**Episode 9.02: A Wound In Time**_

Coop paced Phoebe's apartment, worried about her and her sisters. What if they didn't come back?

_If anything happens to Phoebe, it's my fault_, he thought. _I could have stopped all this from happening_.

Before he could blame himself anymore, his ring suddenly sparked and glowed, and Coop doubled over in pain.

After a few moments he straightened back up, looking around the room like he was seeing it for the very first time.

"Well what do you know?" he said, his mouth twitching into a sly, familiar grin. "Love really does transcend all planes of existence..."

He turned to a mirror, but the image looking back at him was one of confusion and fear.

"What-- What's happening?" Coop's image said. "Who are who?"

"We actually met quite recently. The name's Cole."

"How did you do this?" Coop asked.

Cole shrugged Coop's shoulders. "Simple, really. Once I found out you were a Cupid I formulated a plan. Love transcends all planes of existence. You are made of love, so all I had to do was hitch a ride."

"So, what? You're just going to stay in my body forever?"

Cole shook his head and chuckled. "Oh, no, of course not. I have a plan to get my own body back."

"How?" Coop asked.

Cole grinned, and even though it was Coop's mouth, it was very close to Cole's old grin.

"You'll see," he said, disappearing in a flash of pink light.

-x-

In the manor's sun room the sisters stood in a circle around Tempus, hands linked, eyes closed.

"_Defeated you were, sent back to hell. _

_We left a scar, turned you old with our spell. _

_Closed around your body, we create a bubble of time. _

_Return you to how you once were, return you with this rhyme_."

Energy crackled and a white light washed over Tempus. When the light subsided he looked just like he had seven years before.

"Excellent," Tempus said, throwing down his cane with a grin. "I thank you."

"Don't mention it," Phoebe said, dropping her hands to her side. She fixed the demon with a glare. "Really. Don't."

"All right, so we're even," Piper said. "You helped us, we helped you. Now get out."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Tempus asked. "There is still the demon Nomed to deal with."

Piper sighed. "Right. Just one more delay..."

Tempus shrugged. "Well, you did agree."

"I know," Piper said through clenched teeth. "Don't worry, we'll vanquish him."

"Good. Make sure that you do." With that, Tempus shimmered out.

"Now what?" Paige asked.

"We're going to need the Book," Piper said. "Paige, can you go get it?"

Paige nodded. "Sure," she said, orbing out.

Piper let out another tired sigh, walking through the side door into the living room, where she slumped down onto the couch. Phoebe follows her, taking a seat next to her sister and draping an arm around Piper's shoulders.

"You okay?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm just worried," Piper said. "Billie and Christy almost defeated us." She paused. "Technically, they _did_ defeat us. I'm just wondering what they're planning to do next."

-x-

"Now what do we do?" Billie asked.

She and Christy sat together on a couch in the Great Hall of Magic School. They mirrored Piper and Phoebe, looking just as tired and worried as the two other sisters had been.

"I don't know," Christy said. "The Hollow was our chance to take them out. But somehow they knew." Her expression grew dark. "If I ever find who told them about our plan I'll kill them!"

A book on the table next to her suddenly burst into flames.

"Hey, careful!" Billie jumped up, grabbed a larger book, and dropped it on the first, putting out the small fire. "Piper once told me that our powers are linked to our emotions. We have to stay calm and in control, otherwise..." She glanced at the scorched book. "Worse things could happen."

Christy sighed and shook her head. "You're still doing it."

"Doing what?" Billie asked as she sat back down.

"Talking like they're your mentors."

"Oh." Billie paused. "Well, I'm not going to just forget what I learned from them. Even though they've gone off the path and become selfish, it doesn't mean that all their experience isn't useful."

"Fine," Christy said. "But maybe what you learned from them can actually help us. Do you remember anything that could be a weakness for them? Anything at all?"

Billie shrugged. "I don't know. I'll look through my diary, see if I can find anything."

"You do that."

Christy watched as Billie left out a side door and sighed.

_This isn't working_, she thought.

The plan had been to turn Billie against the Charmed Ones, but it had only been partially successful. Billie questioned Christy's actions at every turn, and at times seemed to completely forget that the Halliwell sisters were their enemy, like just a minute before.

_The Charmed Ones had quite an effect on her_, Christy thought with a grimace. _And the fact that I'm her sister doesn't seem like enough to really turn her against them_.

Christy knew it was only a matter of time before Billie stopped trusting her. And when that happened...

Her thoughts were interrupted by Dumain entering the room.

"Where's Billie?" he asked.

"Looking for information that could help us," Christy said. "So you can speak freely."

Dumain let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm getting so tired of acting good around her. It's exhausting."

"Don't worry," Christy said. "Once we kill the Charmed Ones it should be enough to push her over the edge. Turn her completely."

"I'm not sure that is going to happen," Dumain said.

Christy frowned. "Why not?"

"The Triad... They would like to speak with you." He turned and led the way to the darkened chamber where he conferred with the Triad. "She's here," he said.

From the glowing oval platform in front of them a shimmering figure arose and split into the three spirit forms of the Triad: Asmodeus, the obvious leader, in the center; the large, bearded Baliel on the right; and the younger, but still gray haired Candor on the left.

"You failed," Asmodeus said simply.

"It wasn't our fault," Christy protested. "Somehow the Charmed Ones knew that we had summoned the Hollow. They were prepared."

"They were prepared because they had a second chance," said Candor.

"What does that mean?" Christy asked.

"Several of our demon allies in the Underworld have told us that the Ultimate Battle already took place," Baliel explained. "That two of the Charmed Ones were killed, along with you."

"But--" Christy started.

"Piper found a way to reverse time," Asmodeus continued. "That's how they were prepared for you."

"So what do we do now?" Christy asked.

"The Hollow was our best chance at defeating them," Asmodeus said.

"We believe," Candor said, "that this plan has failed, and should be terminated."

"No!" Dumain yelled, stepping forward. "We can still succeed. It has been proven that they can be killed. We just have to find another way."

"What do you suggest?" Baliel asked.

Dumain paused to think it over. "If the Charmed Ones can mess with time then why can't we? Let us pull someone from their past. Someone who will have the power to kill them."

Candor raised an eyebrow. "Whom would that be?"

Dumain opened his mouth, but closed it again, seemingly at a loss.

"I may know someone," Christy spoke up.

-x-

"Thanks Dad." Piper entered the manor's large parlor from the dining room, phone to her ear. She paused by the stairs to watch as Phoebe struggled to push their scorched couch back into place. "I know it's hard for you taking care of both of them. I just don't want the boys around here right now."

"It's no trouble," Victor said on the other end of the phone. "In fact, I'm loving it. I feel like I'm finally being a father to someone."

Phoebe stopped pushing and leaned over the back of the couch to catch her breath. She had only managed to push the large piece of furniture by about a foot and had quite a ways to go. She glanced up at Piper, silently pleading for help.

"Don't get too attached, their real dad will back back soon enough," Piper said, holding up a "just a minute" finger.

Phoebe sighed and moved around to the other side of the couch, plopping down on its burnt cushions.

"Anyway," Piper continued. "I have a lot of work to do. I'll check in with you later."

"Okay."

"Tell the boys I love them," Piper said.

"Well, they're asleep right now," Victor said. "It is after midnight..."

Piper glanced at her watch and her eyes widened. "Oh, god, you're right. I've just completely lost track of time. Which means a lot after what I've been through."

"Piper, are you okay?" Victor asked, concerned. "You sound dead tired."

Piper cringed. "Oh, please don't mention death.

There was a long pause before Victor said, "Piper... Are you girls in trouble-- again?

"No more than usual," Piper said with a sigh. "Nothing we can't handle."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine." Piper nodded as she tried to convince herself of that fact as well. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll call you in the morning, okay?"

"Okay," Victor said. He didn't sound convinced, but he let the subject drop. "Bye."

"Bye." Piper hung up.

"How are the boys?" Phoebe asked, still out of breath.

"They're fine. Dad's doing such a great job. I'm glad he's around to be able to take care of them." She eyed Phoebe sprawled on the couch. "What on earth do you think you're doing?"

"Well, I was _trying_ to move the couch back into place," Phoebe said. "Our furniture was knocked around all willy nilly after that potion explosion and I'm trying to get things back to normal."

"Ah. I see that's going well for you."

"This couch is heavy!" Phoebe shot back. "Seriously, since when did they decide to start making couches out of cement?"

"Last year. It's the new style," Piper joked, dropping down next to her sister. "But it took two large men to get that thing in here, so I don't think you're going to have much luck."

"So we call Coop and Henry?" Phoebe asked.

"Or we just have Paige do it," Piper said as if it was obvious.

"Oh, right. Magic."

"Yeah."

Paige orbed in at that moment with the Book of Shadows.

"Speak of the devil," Piper said with a grin.

Paige frowned. "Huh?"

"Never mind. What took so long?"

"Well the phone rang while I was there and it turned out to be Henry," Paige said. "He called there looking for me. He has been pretty worried since I haven't talked to him in... several days."

"Well, we were in the Underworld being chased by demons," Phoebe said. "You were a little busy."

"I know, but still. I explained everything, but that just made him even more worried." Paige sighed and flopped down on the couch next to her sisters. "I can tell that he feels so helpless, not being able to help."

"You told him to stay away, though, right?" Piper asked. "We can't have any distractions right now. The only ones we can concentrate on protecting right now are ourselves."

Paige nodded. "I told him, don't worry."

"Hey, did you see Coop when you were there?" Phoebe asked.

Paige shook her head. "Nope."

"That's strange," Phoebe said with a frown. "He said he would wait there for me."

"How about we focus on vanquishing Nomed," Piper said pointedly. "Then you can both get back to your men."

"Nope, after Nomed comes Billie and Christy." Paige took Piper's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Then we _all_ can get back to our men."

Piper squeezed back, mouthing a silent, "Thank you."

"But first," Phoebe said. "Paige, can you orb the couch back in place?"

"Fine. Hold this." Paige handed Phoebe the Book then laid her palms down on the couch cushions. She, the couch, and the other two sisters dissolved into swirling blue lights and reappeared a moment later across the room, back in the couche's rightful spot.

There was a sudden flare of blue light as Odin and Sandra orbed into the room. Odin's face was red with anger, while Sandra's, as always, had a look of calm.

Paige immediately pointed at Phoebe. "She made me do it."

Phoebe gasped and slapped her sister on the arm. "Hey!"

"You!" Odin yelled. He pointed an accusatory finger at Piper, completely ignoring the other two. "We told you that time reversal was out of the question! Now the Triad and the Ultimate Power are back."

"And so are my sisters," Piper said. "Which, by the way, was all that mattered to me."

"You are foolish," Odin said, seething. "If it was my decision, I would have you all stripped of your powers. You use them in all the wrong ways."

"How so?" Piper asked.

Odin rolled his eyes and threw up his hands in a "Oh, where to begin?" manner. "Your powers were to be used to save innocents. But when was the last time you did that? Recently all you have done is act selfish. Working with the Avatars and faking your deaths just to get out of your destiny." He fixed his eyes on Piper. "Risking everything just to save your sisters."

"We have done enough," Piper shot back as she stood up. "We've busted our asses for eight years. We deserve a break."

"That is not for you to decide," Odin said.

"Why not?" Phoebe asked. She and Paige got to their feet as well. "It's our lives."

"But you have a destiny!" Odin yelled. "To protect the innocent and vanquish evil. Now-a-days you vanquish more demons when one of you is possessed by one. You do not deserve to have your powers any longer."

"So, what?" Paige crossed her arms. "Are you going to take them?"

"No," Sandra said, finally speaking up. "Fortunately, it is not up to Odin to make that decision. While many Elders are angry that you, Piper, worked with a demon to reverse time, we still acknowledge that it is better to have the Charmed Ones alive to fight evil. Which includes Billie and Christy."

"Do you have any idea of how we can stop them?" Piper asked.

Sandra shook her head. "No. But we may be able to help. We know that to defeat them you will have to be at full strength." She turned to Phoebe. "Which is why we are returning all of your powers."

Phoebe gaped. "Really? But... I thought I had to earn them back."

"Which you haven't," Odin muttered.

"Right now they are needed," Sandra said. "After the Ultimate Power is taken care of... Well, that will be decided later. For now..." She waved her hand and a golden ball of light flew from her palm and into Phoebe. "Good luck," she said, orbing out.

Odin gave the sisters one last glare, then followed.

There was silence between the sisters for a moment before Phoebe turned on Paige. "She made me do it?" she repeated.

Paige gave a sheepish smile and shrugged. "I thought they were going to pounce on us about personal gain, and since they had already taken away your powers..." She trailed off and gave another weak smile.

"Well now I have them back," Phoebe said. She bit her lip as she thought. "I wonder how they're going to help us defeat Billie and Christy."

Paige shrugged. "Who knows? But maybe they can help us with Nomed first. We should take him out as soon as we can. I don't want Tempus to reverse his spell and make it so we're dead again."

Phoebe's eyes widened. "Oh right..." She grabbed the Book off the couch, set it on the coffee table, and started flipping through it. "I hope he's in here. I _really_ don't want to be dead again."

"You don't even remember it," Piper said.

"Does that matter?" Phoebe asked, looking up.

"... Keep looking."

-x-

Cole crouched behind a large boulder, listening to three demons speak nearby. On the ground next to him was a small pool of water, where the rippling image of the real Coop stared up at his body.

"What do you plan to do?" he asked.

Cole looked down at him. "Well, there's nothing you can do about it, so I might as well tell you. I'm going to use your ring to go back in time--"

"How do you know about that?" Coop interrupted.

Cole grinned. "You'd be surprised at the things I know." His grin faded and his face darkened. "Especially about you and Phoebe."

"You know about us? How?"

"I lurk," Cole said with a shrug. "Now, as I was saying, I'm going to use your ring to go back to where I was finally vanquished. By taking my body from that exact moment in time it shouldn't change anything since I died then anyway. Now, if I went back to where I was first vanquished, then it would change things, since I came back after that."

"Uh... huh." Coop was thoroughly confused. "But if you take your body, then it will change things, because you wouldn't have been vanquished and the sisters would know it..." He left that hanging.

Cole grinned again and held up a finger. "Ah, but that's why we're down here. To get my replacement."

The ring on his finger glowed and a gray mist came streaming out of it. As this happened, Coop's body flopped over, unconscious. The mist continued on and floated over to the three demons that were in the cavern. It hovered for a moment before it coalesced into Cole, surprising the demons.

"Who...?" asked one.

"Cole Turner," Cole said brightly. "I'm sure you've heard of me." The demons nodded. Cole stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "Sooo, which one of you is the shape shifter?"

The demon in the middle slowly raised his hand. He was short, only about four feet tall, and had yellowish skin with gray spots of all different shapes and sizes. "That would be me," he said warily. A forked tongue flitted between his pointed teeth as he spoke.

"Good," Cole said with a smile. "I have a job for you."

-x-

Billie sat at the single desk in one of Magic School's numerous studies. Her chin rested on one hand, her eyes drooping slightly, as her other hand paged through her diary. The small black book was filled with everything she had learned from the Halliwell sisters.

Just looking at it made a pang of regret shoot through her. The sisters had taught her so much and had become her friends. Sure, they had lost their way, but was that enough to make them evil?

_No_, she told herself. _But with time it could be. And in that time their selfish behavior could corrupt their children._

She stopped on a page that detailed Piper's wedding. Even with Prue's astral self and the police intervening, they were still able to pull it off. Most likely due to Piper's determination to have some sense of a normal life.

_Isn't that the same as now?_ Billie thought. _Do they just want a normal life so badly that they will do anything to get it?_

Billie was starting to understand that. After just a year of fighting demons and trying to save her sister, Billie was growing tired. She knew that it was her duty to fight the good fight, but sometimes it just seemed like too much.

_In eight years, will I be just like them?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door being opened by Christy, who entered and closed it behind her.

"Hey," Billie said. "Sorry, I don't think I've found anything yet."

"That's okay," Christy said. "Dumain and I had an idea. I remember you writing down something in there about the sisters' past lives..."

"Oh, yeah." Billie flipped the pages backward. "Uh, here's something about Paige's past life. She told me that she had been an evil enchantress with power over the elements. Also, a couple years before..." She flipped back several more pages. "They had an encounter with Phoebe's past life. She fell in love with a warlock, became evil..." She ran her finger down the page as she read. "And had the power to throw fire."

"Hmm. That's interesting," Christy mused.

"What is?" Billie asked.

"That two of the sisters were evil in their past lives. Which probably had an effect on them today."

Billie shook her head. "I don't think so. I mean, Piper wasn't evil in her past life." She tapped the page to prove her point.

"But that was just one," Christy said. "What about the ones before that?"

"Maybe," Billie said with a shrug. "But I don't think a past life has much effect on a present life."

Christy narrowed her eyes, but backed off. She didn't want to get in a fight with Billie that could push her back to the Halliwells.

"Maybe not," she said with an air of indifference. "I was just speaking my mind." She casually strolled over to a book shelf and ran her fingers across the spines, pretending to examine the titles. "The point is that our new plan deals with their past lives."

Billie arched an eyebrow in confusion. "How?"

"We plan to summon Phoebe and Paige's past lives to us," Christy said.

"But... they were evil," Billie said, unsure of this new plan.

Christy glanced over her shoulder and a hint of a smile played across her lips. "Which means they will have no problem helping us take out the Charmed Ones."

"I don't know... I don't think it's a good idea."

Christy spun on her heel and approached the desk. "Billie, we're running out of ideas." She placed her hands palms down on the desk and leaned in, locking eyes with her sister. "They could really help us."

"Fine," Billie said with a sigh. "How do we do it?"

"Still trying to figure that out." Christy let out her own sigh and stepped back, crossing her arms. "You should go get some sleep," she said as her sister stifled a yawn. "You haven't gotten any in days."

"Neither have you," Billie countered.

Christy shrugged. "I had a lot of time to sleep when I was being held prisoner for fifteen years. I'm fine."

"Okay." Billie got up and headed for the door. "Wake me when you've figured something out."

Christy waited until her sister's footsteps had faded away, then snatched up the diary and quickly made her way back to the Triad's chamber, where Dumain and the Triad were waiting.

"Well?" Asmodeus asked.

"I was right." Christy held up the diary. "Phoebe and Paige's past lives were evil." She looked down, flipping back and forth between the two corresponding pages. "However, they were both stripped of their magic. We'll have to summon them from a time before that happens."

"How do we even plan to do this?" Dumain asked. "We don't have the power."

"Ah, but we do," Candor said. "Billie's projection power."

Dumain frowned. "But surely it's not strong enough."

"Not for her, no," Baliel said. "But once we take it back, it will be."

"Take it back?" Christy asked. "What do you mean?"

Candor chuckled. "Surely you don't think that a power as strong as that was really her own. We gave it to her as a part of the plan."

"But," Christy said, confused, "We are the Ultimate Power. I would think we would have to have a power like that."

Baliel and Candor chuckled again, giving each other knowing looks, while Asmodeus spoke. "Foolish girl. After all these years, all our training, you still do not know the true nature of the Ultimate Power."

"Power, really, has nothing to do with it," Candor continued. "You two are a threat to the sisters because you gained their trust; got to know them. You know their secrets and weaknesses. Have even studied their Book of Shadows."

"You are also human," Asmodeus said. "That makes them hesitate to kill you. All of this is the true nature of the Ultimate Power. We gave Billie the projection power simply as added strength for when the fight began."

"And so that she could find you in the first place," Baliel added.

Christy sighed. "Fifteen years and I still don't know everything."

"You aren't meant to," Asmodeus said simply. "Now..."

He and the other two raised their hands to the ceiling, or where there should be one; the darkness concealed almost everything. From that darkness a golden orb of light floated down and split into three, each piece entering one of the members of the Triad.

"What about Billie?" Christy asked.

Candor smiled. "She won't even know it's gone."

The Triad turned and formed a circle, raising their hands once more to the ceiling. Energy crackled between them and, from out of nowhere, a fierce wind began to howl.

-x-

"Nothing." Phoebe slammed the Book shut. "I can't find anything on Nomed." She leaned back on the couch where she and her sisters were seated.

Paige shrugged. "Well, he has been gathering forces for a new order in the Underworld. I'm guessing he wouldn't want many people to know about it, so he stayed low key."

"Then how do we vanquish him?" Phoebe asked. "I'm guessing he's an upper-level demon, so just blowing him up doesn't seem like an option."

Piper shook her head. "I think not. Our best bet is probably a potion with a piece of him in it."

"Ew." Phoebe scrunched up her nose at the prospect. "That part always gives me the jeebies."

"The Phoebe jeebies?" Piper said with a smile, poking Phoebe in the arm.

"Oh, shush." Phoebe grinned and leaned on Piper's shoulder.

"But to get a piece," Paige started slowly, "we have to find him first, and we don't have anything we can use to do that."

"Actually, we do," Piper said. "I think there is some ash left over from his demon friend that I killed. Maybe we can use it in a spell to bring us to Nomed."

"Okay, let's go then." Paige got to her feet and turned around, holding out her hands. Her sisters each took one and pulled themselves up.

"I hope Coop came back," Phoebe said. "I'm worried about him."

-x-

**January 19th, 2003**

The manor's large parlor was dark, tinted with red light. Most of the furniture was gone, leaving the room empty, save for the five people who were having a stand off.

On one side of the room, next to the stairwell, was Paige and Phoebe; Paige with red hair and torn, tattered clothes, Phoebe dressed in a dark, fancy nightgown. Unconscious on the floor next to them were Piper, wearing enough leather to be a biker girl, and Leo, dressed in a baggy hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

On the other side, standing in the entrance to the sun room, was Cole.

"I do hate long goodbyes," Paige said. She raised her hand to throw the potion at Cole, but Phoebe yelled and grabbed the vial from her sister. "Phoebe, are you crazy?" Paige asked. "Throw it before he shimmers out."

"She's not going to throw it," Cole said. He turned his gaze to Phoebe. "Are you?"

"Throw the potion," Paige said through clenched teeth.

Cole only had eyes for Phoebe at that moment. "We've been through so much together, haven't we? Our love's so strong, nothing can destroy it, not even this. We're meant to be together."

Phoebe stared at Cole for a moment. Finally, "I don't think so."

She threw the potion, but, just before it hit Cole, everything froze.

Cole, in Coops body, stepped in from the living room, looking around at the frozen scene before him. He looked to his left where another Phoebe and Coop were peeking around the corner of the living room in mid-freeze.

Cole glanced into a mirror. "Been here before, have you?"

He didn't wait for an answer. Instead he walked over and began to circle around his past self. Cole had to admit that it was a strange experience to see yourself from years before. All the memories of that moment came rushing back. He could still feel the excruciating pain that had gone along with his vanquish. But that pain had not been able to compare to the pain of his heart breaking.

Phoebe had killed him. The first time she had done it, she had still loved him with all her heart. Yet this time she had lost all feeling for him. Killing him had caused her no pain. He could only hope that it was because this was an alternate Phoebe, with entirely different events coming before it. Maybe the Phoebe back in the real world would be different. Maybe she could learn to love him again. Maybe...

Cole stopped circling and took the arm of his past self, pulling him out of the freeze.

"What?" Past Cole stepped back, startled. "What's going on? Who are you?"

"I'm you," Cole said. He chuckled at the expression he got. "I know, I don't look like you. But you'll understand soon enough. First we have to make sure you, and I, survive."

He turned and called for the shape shifter to come out of his hiding place. The shape shifter's body blurred and he transformed into Cole.

"Now," Cole said, "switch places."

The demon did so, but asked, "You still haven't told me the entire plan. What is the point of this?"

Cole didn't answer. Instead, he waved his hand and the ring on his finger glowed, causing the demon to freeze.

"Okay, give me your hand," Cole said, pulling out an athame.

"Look," Past Cole said. "I don't know what's going on, but--"

"You want to get Phoebe back?" Cole interrupted himself.

Past Cole nodded.

"Then just do it." Cole took the hand offered and cut it with the athame, drawing blood. He made sure the athame was covered in it, and then turned to the frozen demon, smearing the blood all over his shirt. "There," he said. "Hopefully the blast is strong enough to vanquish this low level demon along with the blood."

He took his past self by the arm and led him into the conservatory and to the right side of the frozen shape shifter, out of site of everyone else. Then, with a wave of his hand, Cole restarted time.

The potion smashed into the Cole-look-a-like, starting the blood on fire. Luckily, the fire spread to the demon as well, who cried out in pain before he exploded in a violent conflagration.

"Let's get out of here," Cole said. He took his past self by the arm and the two disappeared in a flash of pink light.

A moment later they appeared in the bedroom of Phoebe's apartment. Past Cole looked around in confusion, while Cole laid down on the bed. Coop's body fell into unconsciousness as the gray mist flowed from the ring, forming into Cole a moment later.

Cole stretched. "It was getting cramped in there," he said. He looked down at Coop. "He won't remember a thing." He turned to himself. "But you... You will remember everything."

With that he turned back into the mist and entered his own body. He gasped and convulsed as past and present became one. Then, finally, he grinned.

"It's good to be back."

He turned as he saw a blue light coming from the other room.

"Coop?!" came Phoebe's call from the other room.

"Phoebe," Cole whispered and took a step toward the door. He wanted so much just to talk to her. But he knew that it wasn't the right time. Not yet. He looked back at Coop and, even knowing he couldn't hear him, said, "By the way... keep your hands off my pumpkin." Cole shimmered out.

"Coop?!" Phoebe entered the room and saw Coop. "Coop, wake up," she said, sitting next to him on the bed.

Coop stirred and woke up. "Phoebe?" he said groggily. "Hey."

"Hi," Phoebe said with a smile. "Did you leave earlier? Paige came by for the Book and said you weren't here."

Coop sat up. "I... Huh. The last thing I remember is pacing around this place, worried about you. Guess I fell asleep."

"Well, it is late," Phoebe said.

She turned to the bedside table and tilted her alarm clock up to read the time. Yet the moment she touched it she was pulled into a vision. Flashes were all she saw; flashes of knights, dinosaurs, flying cars. Throughout the whole thing there was the sound of a ticking clock. Then... BOOM!

Phoebe gasped for air as she came flying out of her vision.

"What is it?" Coop asked. "What's wrong?"

"Phoebe, are you okay?" Piper asked, she and Paige coming into the room.

"I just had a premonition," Phoebe said. She had a hand pressed to her chest as she tried to catch her breath. "The most powerful one I have had in a long time."

"What did you see?" Paige asked.

Phoebe shook her head as she tried to make sense of it all. "I saw a bunch of things from the past and future," Phoebe started.

Piper frowned. "So you had some kind of combo-vision of the past and future? Is that even possible?"

"No, not like that," Phoebe said. "Things from the past and future in this time; the present. Like I saw a knight attacking a BMW. And there was this clock ticking in the background, then there was this huge explosion and... that was it."

"Weird," Paige said, scrunching up her face in confusion.

Phoebe shook her head once more. "I don't understand it at all."

"Well your visions don't always make sense right away," Piper said. "But for now..." She held up a bowl full of ashes. "We've got other problems."

"Right," Phoebe said, pushing herself up off the bed.

"What's going on?" Coop followed them out into the living room. "Did everything go okay with Billie and Christy?"

"Sort of," Paige said with a shrug. "We got the Hollow out of them."

"But they got away," Piper said angrily. "We'll get back to them later. Right now we have to find the demon Nomed and vanquish him so that Tempus doesn't reverse his spell."

"Speaking of spells," Phoebe said. "Do we have one to bring us to him?"

"Well..." Piper glanced at Paige, who shrugged, then said in one long breath, "I thought you could write one. Then we say it, light it on fire, drop it in the bowl of his little friend's remains, and voila!"

"So... your point is that you are sticking me with the spell writing job?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes," Piper said, with a nod. Of the look from her sister she added, "Well, you were always the best."

Phoebe sighed as she dropped down on a chair and picked up a pen and some paper from the coffee table. "Yeah, well, after writing so many spells for so many years... It's getting hard to come up with new rhymes."

"You can do it," Coop said with a smile. He sat down on the arm of Phoebe's chair and laid a hand on her shoulder.

Phoebe smiled back. "Thanks for the support." She looked over into the adjoining kitchen to see Paige with her head in the fridge. "Hey, missy! What are you doing raiding my fridge?"

Piper turned to look as well. "Paige, this is no time for food."

"Why not?" Paige asked. She came out from behind the fridge door, her arms filled with the makings of a sandwich. "We have a little down time and I'm starving."

"Come to think of it, so am I," Piper said. She went into the kitchen and joined Paige by the fridge.

"Hey, I'm hungry too!" Phoebe whined.

"You can eat when you're done with that spell," Piper said, already munching on some celery.

Phoebe sighed and started to write.

"You know what I'm hungry for?" Coop whispered in her ear.

"None of that!" Phoebe slapped him away. "The last time we started to, a bunch of magical creatures ended up dead."

"That wasn't your fault," Coop said.

"I know, but my point is that right now I need to concentrate." Coop nodded and went off to join Piper and Paige. Phoebe bent down to continue writing, but her stomach growled. "Will someone at least bring me some crackers?!"

-x-

**February 17th, 1924**

P. Russell and P. Bowen faced off. P. Bowen suddenly raised her hand to her mouth, like she was blowing a kiss; a blast of freezing cold air streamed from between her lips and straight at P. Russell. The younger cousin smirked as the attack was absorbed into the amulet hanging from her neck.

"How does it feel to be powerless against me?" P. Russell asked.

P. Bowen didn't answer. Instead she pulled the trigger for the flash on her camera, which blinded P. Russell for a moment and gave P. Bowen the chance to kick her cousin to the floor. The two struggled as P. Bowen tried to keep her cousin down.

P. Baxter came running into the room. She took in the scene, then grabbed a rope off of a curtain. She kneeled down behind P. Russell and wrapped the rope around her neck, strangling her.

P. Bowen reached for the amulet, but, just as she did, P. Russell disappeared in a flash of golden light.

"What happened?" P. Baxter looked around in confusion. "Where'd she go?"

-x-

P. Russell appeared on the floor in the Triad's dark chamber, gasping for breath.

"What... What happened?" She rubbed her bruised throat and looked around in fear.

"We saved you," Candor said. "Your cousins were about to kill you and we summoned you here just in time."

"Where is here, exactly?" P. Russell asked, getting to her feet.

"The future, apparently." The one who spoke was Paige's past life, the evil Enchantress. "I was just about to cast a love spell when they summoned me here. Said there was a job for me to do, along with you."

"A job?" P. Russell scoffed. "Work is for men. I live a life of luxury."

"Your life would have been over if we hadn't saved you," Baliel said. "You owe us; both of you."

"I don't think so." P. Russell raised her arm and shot fire from her palm, the blast directed at the Triad. It went right through them, however, and shot off into the never ending darkness.

"They're spirits," Dumain said. "You can't hurt them."

"No? Then maybe I can hurt you." She raised her hand once again to attack.

"Cease," Asmodeus commanded. "Or we will send you right back where you were, where you will die. Is that what you want?"

P. Russell glanced between Asmodeus and Dumain before she dropped her arm in defeat.

"Good," Asmodeus said with a smile. "I'm sure you will enjoy the task we have for you. See, you were both defeated by the Charmed Ones."

"Who?" the Enchantress asked.

"The most powerful witches of all time," P. Russell whispered. "They are supposed to be descendants of the Warren line of witches. My line." She frowned and look up at the Triad. "But I thought you said my cousins killed me."

"They did," Candor said. "But the Charmed Ones helped, indirectly. For you, Enchantress, the Charmed Ones stripped you of your powers."

"What is it you want us to do?" the Enchantress asked.

"Kill them," Baliel said simply. "If you do, then we will allow both of you to stay here in this time. Live out your lives the way you were meant to."

This was, of course, a lie. The Triad could not allow them to stay in the present, for it would change things in ways no one could know of. Time was a very fragile thing. Once the two had taken care of the Charmed Ones, the Triad would send them back to where they had come from.

"Do you really expect us to be able to kill them?" P. Russell asked. "They are, as I said, the most powerful witches of all time.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Candor said. "You, my dear, have the amulet that will protect you from their powers. And you, Enchantress, almost stopped them during your first encounter. Now, with the help we can give, you can succeed."

"So," Asmodeus said. "Do we have a deal?"

The two past lives glanced at one another, then nodded.

Asmodeus smiled. "Good."

Out in the hallway, Nomed was pressed against the wall, listening to every word. Most demonic leaders sent their minions to do the spying, but Nomed had always liked field work. Besides, minions couldn't be trusted.

He believed he had heard all he needed. Now he just had to figure out a way to use this information to his advantage. He was about to leave when Paige orbed in behind him with Piper and Phoebe at the end of the hall.

Nomed spun around. "You three!"

"Uh oh," Paige glanced around at where they were. "This isn't a good place to be."

"I agree," Phoebe said. "Billie and Christy could be here too."

"Then we better get what we came for and get out of here," Piper said.

Nomed conjured an energy ball and threw it at Piper, who flicked her hand, blowing it up. With another flick she froze the demon in his tracks.

"Pheebs, you're up." Piper pulled a knife from the bag that she carried and handed it to a reluctant Phoebe.

"Why do I get stuck with the slicing and dicing?" Phoebe whined.

"We flipped for it, you lost," Paige said. "Don't be so mad about it; I always got stuck with the job before."

"Now hurry up." Piper gave her sister a small push. "He won't stay like that forever.

Phoebe groaned and went to stand next to Nomed. She rolled up his sleeve, and was about to cut off some flesh when the demon suddenly unfroze. He shook his head in confusion, but then saw Phoebe and backhanded her, knocking her to the floor. Nomed then threw an energy ball at Piper and Paige's feet, which caused an explosion that threw them back against the wall.

He turned back to Phoebe, who had gotten to her feet. She kicked him in the gut, then gave a swipe kick to his head that sent him to the floor.

"What is going on out here?" Christy came out into the hallway, followed by Dumain.

"Nomed!" Dumain yelled in surprise.

Nomed took one look at Dumain and shimmered out.

Phoebe glanced from Christy to Dumain, hesitating on who to throw the knife at. But her attention was drawn away when P. Russell and the Enchantress entered the hallway.

"Oh my god," Phoebe gasped.

The Enchantress raised her hands and blasted a fierce wind at Phoebe, sending her flying down the hallway to crash land on the floor in front of her sisters.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Piper yelled as she helped Phoebe to her feet.

"Let's figure that out later and for now just get out of here!" Paige said, latched onto her sisters and orbed the three of them out just as P. Russell sent a burst of fire their way.

"Well," Past Phoebe said smugly. "They don't seem very powerful to me."

"They ran," the Enchantress added. "Like cowards. Killing cowards is not very satisfactory."

"No," P. Russell agreed. She flashed a devious smile. "But it _is_ fun."

-x-

The sisters orbed into Phoebe's apartment and questions immediately started pouring from their mouths.

"How did they get here?"

"How do they still have their powers?"

"How do we fight them?"

Their questions were silenced by Coop, who was sitting in front of the television. "Hey, come check this out."

Phoebe glanced at the screen to see several men in World War One uniforms, fighting each other to the death.

"Coop," she sighed. "We don't have time for movies right now."

"This isn't a movie," Coop said. "It's the news."

"What?" Piper frowned. "Turn that up."

A female reporter's voice came in over the footage of the soldiers.

"Witnesses say that they heard gun shots in Golden Gate Park and one passerby was able to get this on tape before he was shot. When police got there, however, the men were gone. Strange events like these are being reported all over town."

The screen started to show footage of other things of the same variety, which included a clip of a medieval knight attacking a BMW with his sword.

"Oh my god," Phoebe said. "This is the stuff from my vision."

"Well what does it all mean?" Paige asked. "What's going on?" Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw something large and reptilian move past outside the window. But when she turned, it was gone. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Piper asked.

"I thought I just saw..." Paige peered out the window, looking from left to right. She shook her head. "Well I'm not sure what I saw. It looked like a dinosaur."

"Okay, that's it," Piper said, motioning her sisters over. "Back to the manor. Time to check the Book."

"Be safe." Phoebe blew Coop a kiss as Paige then orbed the three of them home.

When their feet touched the ground once again, Piper instantly went for the Book of Shadows.

"Wait," Phoebe said. She looked around, a frown of confusion etched on her face. "Something's wrong. Things are different."

Suddenly there was the sound of someone, several some ones actually, running up the stairs.

"Quick!" Phoebe hissed.

She grabbed her sisters by the wrists and pulled them behind some boxes in a corner of the attic. Not a moment too soon, for the door burst open a second later and another set of the sisters, albeit a bit younger, came running into the attic. Piper was pulling Paige along and Phoebe closed and locked the door behind them.

"What are we doing?" Paige yelled. "What is that thing?"

"We'll explain later," Phoebe said as they reached the Book.

Piper opened it and flipped frantically through its worn pages.

"Okay," she said. "Just say this spell out loud with us, okay?"

Paige looked confused beyond belief. "Spell? What are you guys, witches?"

"And so are you," Phoebe said. "We hope."

"Well, we're about to find out," Piper said as the attic door started to shake.

It suddenly exploded open and a swirling, howling wind tore into the room and materialized into Shax, the Source's deadly assassin that had killed Prue. Piper held down the pages of the Book as the three of them recited the spell, having to yell over the torrential wind.

"_Evil wind that blows, that which forms below. No longer may you dwell, death takes you with this spell!"_

Shax moaned in pain and started to spin in a rapid circle, finally exploding in a large blast. The sisters of the present that crouched behind the boxes ducked down as the concussive wave came at them, knocking a few of the boxes over.

Everything suddenly fell silent.

Phoebe looked up to see that the boxes were gone, along with their past selves. Everything was back to normal.

"What the hell was that?" Paige asked.

"Time seems to be going all wonky," Phoebe said.

"Nobody cast a memory spell, did they?" Piper asked. She looked pointedly from one sister to the other. "Because we know how those turn out."

Phoebe shook her head. "No, it seems like things from the past, and probably the future, are phasing into the present."

"But if they had just phased into our time then the attic wouldn't have been different," Piper said.

"Then maybe we phased too," Phoebe said with a shrug. "Then phased back out again."

"Okay, my head is starting to hurt." Paige closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.

"Come on," Phoebe said, pulling her sisters up with her. "Let's see if we can find anything out in the Book."

-x-

Billie walked down the empty hallway, passing several dark, empty classrooms. She stopped when she heard voices coming from the one she had just passed. Turning around, Billie peeked into the classroom and gasped at what she saw.

Chatting students filled the classroom and Piper stood at the front, dressed in teacher robes. On a desk next to her sat a smoking cauldron, along with an assortment of jars and vials.

"Okay, remember," Piper said as the students started to gather up their things. "I want you all to write a paper on the uses of mandrake root. Make sure it's at least one page long."

The students all gave a collective groan as they turned for the door.

Billie jumped back and pressed herself flat against the wall. She waited, but no one came out. Looking back into the classroom, a frown came to her mouth. It was now empty and dark, like most of the rooms around Magic School were these days.

There was a sudden high pitched squeal of a horse and Billie spun around to see one come galloping down the hall towards her. It's rider, she noticed, had no head. But he did have a sword, which he swung at her neck as he passed by.

Billie screamed and ducked. But when she looked up the headless horseman was gone.

"What the hell is going on here?"

She went to search for her sister and found her sitting in the great hall, flipping through a book.

"Christy," Billie said. "Something's wrong. Weird things are happening. I just saw a classroom full of students, along with Piper, but then they disappeared. Then I was attacked by the Headless Horseman."

"Are you okay?" Christy asked.

Billie nodded. "Yeah, he disappeared too. I think things from the past are somehow... I don't know, phasing into our time or something. The sisters told me that the Headless Horseman attacked here once before." She paused and frowned. "But I don't remember them saying anything about Piper once teaching here. Paige used to be the Headmistress, but I don't think either of the other two ever worked here."

"I saw some things too." Christy closed her book and stood up. "I was about to go talk to Dumain about it."

"I'll come with you," Billie said.

"No!"

Billie stepped back, surprised.

Christy quickly switched to a look of calm composure. "I mean... I think you should look in some of these books for anything that could help us. They have to have something about time in them."

Billie eyed her sister suspiciously for a moment, then nodded. "Okay," she said. She turned to scan one of the many bookshelves.

Christy sighed with relief and went straight to the darkened room where Dumain and the Triad were waiting.

"What is it?" Asmodeus asked.

"Something is wrong," Christy said. "Things from the past and future have been showing up in Magic School."

"We know," Candor said. "It's not just Magic School, either. The whole world has been affected."

"What is happening?" Christy asked.

"We're not sure," Asmodeus said. "Time seems to be becoming unstable, but we are not sure why. We are, however, looking into it."

"What if this is our fault?" Dumain stepped forward. "Pulling two of the sisters' past lives out of time could have affected something."

"Even if that is so," Asmodeus said, "it will be of no matter soon enough. Once they finish their job, we will send them back to where they came from."

"But I thought--" Christy started.

Candor snorted. "You didn't expect us to actually keep our promise? If we don't send them back, things could change in ways we could never foresee."

"Where are they now?" Christy asked.

"They," Baliel said, "are doing exactly what we told them to. What they are about to obtain is something that will force the Charmed Ones to give their powers to us."

"That wasn't part of the plan," Christy said.

"No," Candor admitted. "But it is an added bonus. Once we have their powers we can kill them with ease. Along with anyone else who stands in our way."

-x-

Piper came out of the dining room with a cup of tea in her hands and headed up the stairs. When she was about halfway up, the front doors suddenly burst open and Wyatt and Chris, as adults, came running in through the foyer and into the hall just below Piper.

"Do you think he followed us?" Chris asked, breathing hard.

Wyatt shook his head, unsure. "I don't know," he answered. "Melinda isn't here, is she? I don't think it's safe."

"No, she's at Magic School."

A demon suddenly appeared in the entrance to the dining room and conjured a fireball.

"Look out!" Piper screamed, dropping her cup and throwing up her hands. The demon exploded into fiery bits that disappeared in tiny puffs of smoke as they hit the floor.

Wyatt and Chris turned to look at Piper, both looking stunned.

"Mom?" Chris said. "What are you--"

Piper blinked as her children were suddenly gone.

"I must have phased into the future," she whispered. She looked down and saw that her cup was gone. "Hmm. And left my tea there, too."

She went up the stairs to find her sisters still at the Book.

"Well, I just took a little trip to the future," she said.

Paige and Phoebe looked up.

"Really?" Paige asked. "What happened?"

"Chris and Wyatt were getting attacked by a demon." She paused. "Their older selves, anyway."

"Oh my god," Phoebe said. "Were they okay?"

Piper nodded. "Yeah, I blew up the demon. Good thing it was the future so nothing will change because of it. Or because of my tea."

Paige raised her eyebrows. "Your tea?"

"I dropped my tea cup while I was there and it stayed behind," Piper explained.

"Because you weren't touching it anymore..." Phoebe bit her lip as things started to make sense. "I'm guessing you have to be touching something, or someone, to phase with them. Like we were touching each other when we orbed in earlier and also when we phased back to the present."

"Makes sense," Paige said, nodding.

Piper motions to the Book. "Did you two find anything?"

"Maybe," Phoebe said. "We found something on Father Time."

"That rings a bell," Piper muttered.

"It should." Phoebe tapped the page and read from the entry. "He is the center of all time; past, present, and future."

"We thought we would summon him," Paige said. "See if he can tell us what's going on."

"Good idea," Piper said. "Got the spell?"

Phoebe held up a piece of paper. "Right here."

Piper joined her sisters at the podium and looked down at the spell in Phoebe's hand. "Hmm. Short."

"Oh, just read."

"_Father Time, hear our plea; _

_We summon you with the Power of Three._"

The air in front of them started to ripple and warp, splitting open. There was a flash of bright light, then an old man appeared. He was dressed in silver robes and was hunched over, his breath coming in short gasps. His hands were pressed against his side, blood seeping through his fingers. The sisters rushed forward to keep him from falling.

"Are you all right?" Piper asked.

"Can I heal you?" Paige offered.

"No," Father Time wheezed. "You cannot. This is no flesh wound."

Piper eyed the blood. "It sure looks like it."

"That is because I have taken on a human form to be in this reality," Father Time said. "So my pain has taken on the form of blood."

The sisters helped him over to the couch.

"What pain?" Phoebe asked. "What's going on?"

"Time has become unstable," Father Time answered. "It is killing me."

"Why has it become unstable?" Paige asked.

"Frankly, time has been messed with too much in recent hours. Because of this, the fabric of time is tearing. Past, present, and future are bleeding into one another."

"What happens if everything isn't set right?" Piper asked.

"Total destruction," Phoebe said. Her sisters looked at her. "I saw it, remember? In my vision."

"She is correct," Father Time said. "If time is not fixed, and soon, everything will be destroyed."

"Can _you_ fix it?" Paige asked.

Father Time shook his head and coughed. "No, I cannot. I am too weak. You three must do it. However, you cannot do it alone."

"What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"The present is not the only time that needs to be fixed. The past and future need to be as well. Meaning that you will need someone from the past, and someone from the future, to read a spell with you; a spell that will seal the tear in time and will send everyone back to their rightful place."

The sisters exchanged worried looks, not sure what to do.

"Okay," Phoebe said slowly. "So how do we get them here?"

-x-

Victor groaned as he got up from bed, hearing the two kids in the next room awake and lively. He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was almost six in the morning.

"I had forgotten how early kids get up." He took a great big yawn as he pulled on his bathrobe and went to the kids' temporary room.

"Hey." He leaned on the rail of the large crib and smiled down at his grandchildren. "How are you two doing?"

"I miss mommy," Wyatt said.

"Oh, I know you do," Victor said with a grimace. "But don't worry. Your mom and your aunts just have to take care of a few things. Then they'll be back to take you home."

A portal suddenly opened up in the center of the room and the Enchantress stepped out with P. Russell right behind her.

"Phoebe?" Victor was stunned. He looked between whom he believed to be his daughter and her sister. "Paige? What are you--"

"Silence!" the Enchantress commanded. She waved her hand and roots and vines burst up from the floor. They wrapped around Victor, holding him in place and covering his mouth as well.

Wyatt erected his shield to protect himself and Chris, but P. Russell just smiled and reached through it, her amulet glowing, and picked up Chris.

"I love this amulet," she said, walking back over to the Enchantress with Chris in her arms. "I want to go find Anton and thank him for giving it to me. Thank him over, and over, and over..."

"Pleasure can be taken care of later," the Enchantress said. "For now we must use this child to force the Charmed Ones to give up their powers."

P. Russell sighed and rolled her eyes. "So much work. But all right. Work first, pleasure later. Just remember to stay close to me. That way the amulet will protect you as well."

The Enchantress nodded and walked back into the portal. P. Russell blew Victor a kiss and laughed as she followed.

-x-

**March 7th, 1980**

A younger looking Victor and Penny Halliwell, aka Grams, stood in the foyer of the manor, having a yelling match. Piper, as a young girl, stood off to the side. She was dressed in a purple party dress and a brand new doll hung limply in her grasp.

"She's a little girl for god's sake, your own granddaughter!" Victor yelled. "How can you allow this?"

"Because she's a witch, that's who she is!" Penny shot back. She crossed her arms and tilted her head up with a haughty expression. "Besides, she has me to keep her safe."

Victor rolled his eyes. "You didn't keep her very safe tonight, did you?"

"Please stop fighting," Little Piper pleaded.

"How are my girls going to find happiness with demons breaking down the door every night?!" With that, Victor left through the front door, slamming it behind him.

Little Piper burst into tears, dropped her doll, and ran off up the stairs.

"Piper, wait!" Penny called after her. She sighed and followed her granddaughter to her room. The door was closed. "Piper, sweetie?" she called, knocking.

"Go away!" came the muffled response through the door.

Penny put her hand on the doorknob and was about to turn it when adult Piper suddenly appeared next to her.

"Hey Grams," Piper said.

Penny gasped and grabbed at her heart. "Demon." She raised her arm to attack, but Piper stopped her.

"No, wait," Piper said. "Grams, it's me. Piper. I came from the future."

"The future? What do you--"

Piper shook her head. "No time to explain." She latched onto Penny's arm and waited.

"... What are we waiting for?" Penny asked.

"Ssh!"

A moment later things changed; the carpet on the floor of the hallway was different and the door to Piper's room was now open. Of course, it wasn't Piper's room anymore, but Paige's; an unfinished painting on a canvas sat propped up against the wall and the pale light of early morning streamed in through the windows.

"Good, it worked," Piper said as she glanced around.

"What worked? What happened?" Penny asked.

"Cliff notes version? I'm Piper from the future, but now we are in my present. Time is going crazy and is about to be destroyed, and I need your help to stop that from happening."

"What do you mean 'time is going crazy'?"

"Past, present, and future are bleeding together," Piper explained.

Penny got a look of realization on her face. "That explains why I thought I saw my brother, Gordon, in the sun room today. He was gone so fast I thought I was just hallucinating."

"Well, you weren't," Piper said. "Now come on, we have to hurry."

They both went up to the attic to find only Paige and Father Time.

"Where's Phoebe?" Piper asked.

Before she could get an answer, Phoebe appeared in the room, her arm linked with future Wyatt's.

"Found him up here making a potion," Phoebe said. "Looks like things don't change that much in the future."

"Well, they do," Wyatt said. "But... I probably shouldn't tell you anything."

Piper shook her head. "Probably not."

"Yeah, time is messed up enough as it is," Paige said.

"But maybe now we can fix it," Piper said. "We now have someone from the past and someone from the future here."

"Good thing we learned that we just need to touch someone to bring them back to our time," Paige said. "And with a little help from Father Time here to send us to the right times." She patted him on the shoulder and he winced in pain. "Oops. Sorry."

Penny had been watching Paige, her eyes narrowed. "You don't look like my Prue. You are far too pale."

"That's not Prue, Grams," Phoebe said. "That's Paige."

"Who?"

"_Never mind_." Piper glared pointedly at Phoebe. "Let's just get this show on the road."

Before she could get the spell, a portal opened up and the Enchantress and P. Russell came out of it. Chris was still in P. Russell's arms.

Piper stopped dead. "Let go of my son."

P. Russell grinned. "Why? He's our leverage."

"Chris!" Paige held out her arms, expecting Chris to orb into them, but nothing happened.

"The amulet protects her," Phoebe explained quietly. Her eyes were locked on her nephew and the cruel witch that held him.

"That's right," P. Russell said. "You can't hurt me. But I can hurt your son."

"What do you want?" Piper said through clenched teeth.

"For you to relinquish your powers." The Enchantress held up a glass sphere as she spoke. "Transfer them into this sphere and we will give you your son."

"It's a trick," Phoebe said. "They'll probably just kill us."

"But I can't let them hurt Chris," Piper said, tears of fear and rage stinging her eyes.

"Then give up your powers," P. Russell said. She didn't notice as Chris reached up at the necklace dangling from her neck. He grabbed it with his tiny hand and squealed with delight as the chain snapped. With another squeal he threw it to the floor where it went sliding under the couch.

"No!" Past Phoebe screamed.

Piper instantly threw up her hands and froze the two past lives while Paige orbed Chris to her.

"Dad could be hurt," Piper said as she took Chris from her sister. Phoebe came to her side and embraced both her sister and her nephew. "Paige, can you go check on him? Heal him if he's hurt."

"What about the spell?" Paige asked.

"We only need one person from this time to say it," Piper said.

"Okay," Paige said with a nod. "I'll be back soon."

-x-

Paige orbed into Victor's apartment and started looking around for him. She found him in one of the bedrooms, tangled in a mess of vines. Wyatt was in the crib, crying.

Paige waved her hand as she called Victor's name, using her power to orb him out. "Are you okay? Do you need any healing?"

Victor shook his head. "No. Thanks for coming. But two people who looked exactly like you and Phoebe showed up and took Chris."

"Don't worry," Paige said. "Chris is fine."

"Thank god," Victor said, relieved. "I don't know what I would do if I had let him get hurt."

"It's not your fault," Paige said. "Our evil past lives are here trying to kill us. If anything had happened we wouldn't have blamed you."

"Your evil what now?"

"Never mind," Paige said. "Listen, I better get back to--"

She was cut off as two medieval knights suddenly appeared in the room, swords clashing. One stabbed the other in the gut, then turned to Paige and Victor.

"Uh oh..."

-x-

"Okay, now all we have to do is say this spell," Piper said to Penny and Wyatt. "Then everyone should go back to their own time." She paused. "Just make sure we aren't touching, or one of us will go back with the other."

The three gathered around each other to say the spell while Phoebe sat on the couch with Father Time, holding Chris in her arms. She glanced at a vase on the table next to her. The water rippled. She frowned and stared at it as the water rippled again.

"What the...?"

The wall to the front of the house suddenly exploded inward as a tyrannosaurus rex pushed its snout through. Piper and the other two screamed and fell backward to the floor.

The dinosaur gnashed its enormous teeth at them and Piper threw up her hands, blasting a small piece of it's snout off. It roared in pain and stumbled backward into the street. Roaring again, it came back at them. Piper tried a different approach and froze it instead. However, the T-Rex was so big that the freeze started to wear off after only a few seconds.

"We have to do the spell now!" Piper scrambled to her feet. She helped Penny up and the two of them, with Wyatt, started to chant.

"_Past, present, and future three, we speak as one in unity; _

_We bend reality with this rhyme, seal the wound, and return everyone to their rightful time!_"

The T-Rex unfroze and lunged forward. But before it could snap its jaws, it disappeared.

Piper looked around to see that Wyatt and Penny were gone as well, along with the evil past lives. She sighed with relief, but grimaced as she surveyed the destroyed wall.

"How are we going to fix this?" she wondered out loud. "Come to think of it... How are we going to fix everything else?"

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked, shushing a fidgeting Chris.

"Well, people saw all those things from different times," Piper said. "What do we do about that?" She turned a questioning gaze upon Father Time.

"Do not worry," said Father Time, pushing himself up from the couch. He looked much better and the blood was gone. "I'll have a word with the Cleaners. They'll take care things."

"Thanks," Piper said.

"No, thank you," Father Time said. "For saving time and myself."

Piper smiled. "You're welcome."

Father Time returned the smile, then waved his hand. The air in front of him rippled and, as he stepped through it, he disappeared.

There was a moment of silence that was broken by the ringing of the cordless phone that sat on one of the attic's dusty tables. Piper picked it up and pushed the talk button.

"Hello?" Piper paused, listening, then narrowed her eyes. "Dad, calm down. What about Paige?"

Phoebe looked up. "What about Paige? Is she okay?"

Piper shushed her sister and pressed the phone harder to her ear.

"Oh no," Piper gasped. "Okay, don't worry, Dad. We'll take care of it. Can you just come pick up Chris and take him back to your place?" She nodded. "Thanks, Dad. See you soon."

Piper sighed as she hung up the phone and turned back to Phoebe.

"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked. "Is Paige hurt?"

Piper shook her head. "No... She's lost in time."

_**To be continued...**_


	3. Episode Three: Lost and Found

_**Episode 9.03: Lost and Found**_

Paige orbed into Victor's apartment and started looking around for him. She found him in one of the bedrooms, tangled in a mess of vines. Wyatt was in the crib, crying.

Paige waved her hand as she called Victor's name, using her power to orb him out. "Are you okay? Do you need any healing?"

Victor shook his head. "No. Thanks for coming. But two people who looked exactly like you and Phoebe showed up and took Chris."

"Don't worry," Paige said. "Chris is fine."

"Thank god," Victor said, relieved. "I don't know what I would do if I had let him get hurt."

"It's not your fault," Paige said. "Our evil past lives are here trying to kill us. If anything had happened we wouldn't have blamed you."

"Your evil what now?"

"Never mind," Paige said. "Listen, I better get back to--"

She was cut off as two medieval knights suddenly appeared in the room, swords clashing. One stabbed the other in the gut, then turned to Paige and Victor.

"Uh oh..." Paige said, backing away.

The knight lunged at her, swinging his sword. Just before the weapon sliced her in half, Paige orbed out, orbing back in behind the knight.

Victor grabbed up a chair and hurled it at the knight. It crashed into him, making him stumble back, but he recovered quickly and started to advance on Victor. He raised his bloody sword up above his head and swung downwards.

"Sword!" Paige called, the weapon orbing to her hands.

The knight growled in anger and leapt at Paige, trying to wrench the sword from her grasp.

Suddenly, everything changed. The apartment, Victor, and Wyatt were gone. In their place was a raging battlefield. Armored knights were everywhere, screaming and hacking at one another with their weapons. Horses neighed with mad fury, their owners riding them back and forth to get a good blow on an enemy. Rain poured down on all of this, turning the open field into a mud pit.

Paige slipped and fell into the mud, dropping the sword that she had been trying to keep from the knight. That very knight now snatched the sword up and raised it above his head as he prepared to plunge the blade into her heart.

An arrow suddenly pierced him in the neck and the knight gasped and fell over backwards. A horse came galloping up next to Paige. She looked up to see the shooter of the arrow sitting atop the panting beast.

"Well, you are a pretty little thing," he said with a gruff voice. "I think I shall take you as a victory gift."

Paige gave a small laugh. "And I think I'll just be going." She tried to orb out, but nothing happened. "Uh oh..."

"The only place you will be going is with me," said the man. He reached down and latched onto Paige, pulling her up onto the horse. She struggled, but the man held her tight, and moments later they were galloping away from the still raging battle.

-x-

Piper finished fastening Chris into his car seat in the back of Victor's car. She smiled sadly and caressed his cheek. She couldn't believe she had almost lost him-- again. Demons were always using her children against her in one way or another. How was she supposed to keep protecting them? Sometimes she thought her father was right; this was not the way to raise children.

Thoughts of binding their powers rose up in her mind, but she pushed them aside. Now was not the time to think about that. Right now she had to focus on finding her sister. She waved at Wyatt, who sat in the car seat next to Chris, then stepped back and closed the door.

"Thanks again, Dad."

"It's fine, really," Victor said. "I just wish I could do more. Are you sure I can't help?"

Piper turned away from watching her kids through the car window and pursed her lips, pretending to think about the question for a moment. "Do you want to go back in time to who-knows-where with Phoebe and I to save Paige?"

"Uh... taking care of the kids is fine," Victor replied.

Piper smiled. "I thought so."

Victor glanced up at the manor. "You know... you should probably take care of that gaping hole before anyone notices."

Piper glanced up at the hole and nodded. "Yeah, it is sort of an eyesore."

"It's much more than that. What caused it, anyway?"

"Dinosaur," Piper said simply. At her father shocked expression she added, "Don't worry, Phoebe's on it."

"The dinosaur?" Victor furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Oh, no, Chomper's long gone. Phoebe's working on fixing the hole. See?"

Piper pointed up to the hole, where Phoebe had appeared. She waved down to them, said a few words they couldn't hear, then vanished as the house was magically repaired.

"Wow," Victor said. "Handy."

Piper nodded. "It really is."

After a beat of silence, Victor said, "You know, I've got this plumbing problem..."

"Sorry, Dad." Piper laughed and shook her head. "Can't use magic for personal gain. Damage by demons or dinosaurs, though, is fine."

"Right," Victor said with a nod. "I'll just be going."

Piper watched him drive away then turned her gaze back to the manor. After heaving a sigh she muttered, "Okay, next problem."

-x-

"How's that spell coming?" Piper asked as she entered the attic, referring to the spell to summon Father Time.

"Well, since we don't have the Power of Three anymore, I had to reword it," Phoebe said. "But it should work."

Piper nodded. "Okay then. Let's do it."

She took Phoebe's hand and the two of them read the spell from the paper that Phoebe held.

"_Father Time we call on you, we summon you with the Power of Two."_

Piper smirked and looked sidelong at Phoebe. "Seriously?"

Phoebe shrugged as Father Time appeared in a great flash of light. "Well, it worked," she muttered.

"Is there something wrong?" Father Time asked.

"You should know," Piper scoffed. "Aren't you supposed to be made of time, or somethi--"

"Paige is trapped somewhere in the past," Phoebe said, cutting to the chase.

Father Time closed his eyes for a moment. "Ah, yes. I can see it now. How unfortunate..."

"Unfortunate?!" Piper snapped.

"Piper." Phoebe placed a calming hand on her sister's shoulder, who sighed and looked away. To Father Time she said, "She was fighting with a knight and somehow must have been sent back with him. We need to get her back before she changes anything."

Father Time nodded. "True."

"Will you send us back?" Phoebe asked.

"I cannot."

"You _cannot_?" Piper asked angrily. "Why the hell not? We saved your ass not even an hour ago. You owe us."

"Actually, it was because of you that my ass needed saving." He paused, then shook his head. "However, that is not the point. I cannot send you back because I am not yet up to my full strength. I do not have the power."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Piper asked. "She is our sister, we can't just leave her there."

"As you know," Father time said, "there are several ways to go back in time. It is your job to find one of those ways. Mind you, try to save your sister as quickly as you can. Time has been toyed with enough recently." With that, he was gone.

Piper's mouth hung open, her hands clenched into fists. "Oh, I could just..."

"Piper, calm down," Phoebe said. "We can do this." She stepped over to the Book of Shadows and started to flip through it. "Now, I'm going to look for a way to go back in time."

"What should I do?"

Phoebe paused in mid-flip. "Well, we're going to need some way to keep our powers while in the past. Otherwise we'll have little chance of saving Paige, not to mention ourselves."

Piper nodded. "All right. Maybe I can make a potion."

"Good idea," Phoebe said.

Piper turned toward the stairs, talking over her shoulder as she went. "But I swear, nothing else better pop up today, because I can't handle another problem."

-x-

Outside a darkened liquor store a head of raven black hair popped up through the pavement, followed by a pair of hazel-green eyes that glanced around the vacant parking lot. After a moment, the rest of the body of this girl rose up out of the pavement until she was standing on it, dressed in black jeans, a black shirt, and a black leather jacket.

Her name was Raven Anderson. She was nineteen years old, had a bad attitude and an even worse reputation for getting in trouble. The young witch had the power of phasing, which gave her the ability to spread out her molecules and pass through solid objects. Since before she could remember she had used the power to get whatever she wanted.

Raven glanced around again before she flashed a wicked smile and turned towards the store.

Inside the rising sun shone through the glass front door, glinting off bottles of hard liquor sitting on the shelves. The place was silent, having not yet opened. Behind the counter Raven entered right through the front wall of the store. Not missing a beat, she went straight for the safe under the counter. She reached for the door, then paused as she caught sight of the bottles of liquor.

With another smile, Raven vaulted over the counter and grabbed a bottle of vodka off the shelf, popping it open and taking a long swig. She swallowed and shuddered as the burning liquid went down her throat, then laughed and threw the bottle over her shoulder, where it shattered on the floor, splashing vodka across the tile.

Raven walked back through the counter, her stomach passing right through the cash register. She knelt down in front of the safe and stuck her hand through the door. When she pulled it back out, she had a stack of bills clenched in her palm.

"Jackpot."

From behind her there was the cocking of a gun and a voice spoke. "Okay, just put the money down, stand up slowly, and you won't get hurt."

Raven turned her head, flicked the hair out of her eyes, and looked up at the store owner, a middle-aged asian man, who was pointing a shotgun at her. Raven flashed a smile.

"A shotgun, huh? Are you compensating for something?"

"Stand up!" the store owner yelled, jabbing the air with his gun.

"Alright, alright," Raven said, dropping the money as she stood up. "No need to yell. At least... not yet."

"Huh?"

"Now."

Raven swung her right foot up, kicking the man in the crotch. He yelled out in pain and doubled over. Next she kicked him in the face, knocking him over onto his back. She glanced down at her boot to see a smear of red on the toe. Her eyes flicked to the store owner; blood was pouring profusely from his nose.

"You got blood on my favorite boots. You're going to have to pay for that." She bent down and snatched up the money, stuffing it in her jacket with a grin. "Debt settled."

She spotted a security camera in the corner of the opposite wall and followed the wire down to a metal cabinet. She walked past the injured man and over to the cabinet, reaching through it. She bit her lip, moving her arm around inside the cabinet, and finally pulled out a security tape, which she also put inside her jacket.

Raven turned around to find the store owner pointing the gun at her again. He pulled the trigger and a hole was blown in the metal cabinet directly behind Raven. She glanced down at her chest, looked behind her at the hole, then back at the store owner, whose mouth was hanging open in shock.

"You missed."

"But how...?"

Raven ignored him and looked at her watch. "Sorry, gotta go. Mom's going to be shaking me awake in about ten minutes." She ran at the store owner and passed right through him. He yelled out and spun around. "See ya."

Raven winked, blew him a kiss, then walked backward through the wall.

-x-

Paige let out a yelp as the knight named Horace threw her backwards onto a pile of pillows. As a ravenous grin came over his mouth, a disgusted frown came over Paige's.

Horace came at her, laughing, his hands outstretched as if he was about to open a gift on Christmas. Just as he came into range, Paige planted her foot in the worst place you can kick a man. Horace cried out in pain, his face turning as red as a ripe tomato.

"Why you little!" he wheezed.

Now he was angry. He grabbed Paige, covering her mouth as she screamed. She struggled, but even though she had been fighting demons for five years, she wasn't strong enough to fight against Horace's strong grip.

The door suddenly swung open, smacking against the stone wall with a loud _crack_. Another knight entered, eyes flitting around the room until they landed on the scene of Horace and Paige.

"What in blazes are you doing?" asked the knight.

"Just having a little fun, Will," Horace grunted. He threw a glare at Paige. "That was until she kicked me... well... you know where."

Will's eyes focused on Paige and they widened instantly.

"You fool!" he shouted, running forward and pulling Horace away from Paige. "Get off of her!"

"Why?" Horace asked, trying to smack Will away.

"That's the Enchantress you blundering idiot!" Will screamed.

Horace leapt away from Paige as if she were suddenly covered in thorns. He started to back across the room, apologies flowing from his mouth.

"I'm so sorry, mistress. I didn't know. I've never seen you before and I didn't-- I'm... uh..."

Paige suddenly realized that she must have been transported back to the time that her evil past self lived in. Which most certainly worked to her advantage.

With a smile, Paige got to her feet.

"That's quite all right," she said, dusting herself off. "I was about to turn you into a pig, so nothing would have happened to me. You, on the other hand, would have become my next meal."

Horace's face, which had been so red just a minute before, now became as pale a white as that of a ghost. You could almost see right through him, the resemblance was so great.

"Now... be gone!" Paige said with a wave of her hand.

Horace didn't need to be told twice. He flew out of the room faster than a bat out of hell.

Paige laughed with glee and then turned her eyes on Will, who immediately bowed.

"What can I do to make up for that idiot man's foolishness?" he asked.

Paige glanced down at her clothes, which were covered in mud.

"Could you get me some new clothes?" Paige asked.

"Certainly," Will said. "Would you like me to have the servants wash those..." He eyed Paige's clothes that were considerably strange to him. "... Uh... garments?" he finally said.

Paige was about to say yes, but stopped herself. She realized that she couldn't chance having her clothes left in this time. Who knew how the world could change just by having better fashion earlier?

"No," she said. The next words out of her mouth pained her to say them. "Burn them. The stink of that man could never be washed out. They must be destroyed."

"As you wish," Will said. "I will return with your new clothes shortly." He then turned and left almost as quickly as Horace had.

Paige pouted as she looked down at her clothes.

"I'm going to miss you all so much," she said with a sigh. She turned to the window and looked out over the vast landscape. "I hope Piper and Phoebe have a plan to get me out of here."

-x-

"Another plan, another failure," Candor said with a sigh. Not that a spirit could truly sigh, but it was what it represented that mattered. Candor and the other two members of the Triad held council in their chamber, the only light coming from the glowing platform above which they floated.

"Maybe we should give up," Baliel said. "The Charmed Ones are just too powerful."

"I still believe there is a chance," Asmodeus said. "Billie's information on the sisters is vast, but it is just not enough."

"They need more power," Baliel said.

"Do you think it is time to retrieve one of the potentials?" Candor asked, raising an eyebrow.

Asmodeus smiled. "It is the perfect time."

"But which one?" Baliel asked.

"One of our spies reported just recently that Raven is ready to be turned," responded Asmodeus. "Let us summon Dumain and Christy."

Together they closed their eyes and focused their power. After a moment, Dumain and Christy appeared before them. Dumain instantly dropped to one knee, bowing low.

"What is it you wish of us?"

"We have a job for you," Asmodeus said.

-x-

"Piper!" Phoebe called. She came bounding down the stairs and past the stained-glass window, where the morning sun streamed through and splashed rays of different colored light across the room. "I had an idea of how to save Paige!" She was about to head to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Phoebe jogged over to the front door and opened it, revealing Henry.

_Uh oh_, Phoebe said inwardly. But on the outside she flashed a wide smile. "Henry, hi."

"Hey Phoebe," he said. He looked past her and into the manor. "Is Paige here?"

Phoebe bit her lip and grimaced. "Um... no, not really."

Henry's gaze flitted back to Phoebe. "What do you mean? Where is she?"

Phoebe sighed. "I guess I should tell you the truth since you're her husband..."

Henry nodded. "That's a good idea."

"Okay." Phoebe took a deep breath and spoke her words slowly and softly, as if that would dampen their impact. "The thing is... Paige is stuck in the past."

It didn't work.

"... What?" Henry asked, clearly shocked.

Phoebe quickly plastered on another smile. "But don't worry, we're going to get her back," she said, trying to sound chipper. "We've gone back in time before. It's no big deal."

"It is to me!" Henry snapped.

"Okay, I can sense that you're scared and angry. Something I don't even need to use empathy for."

Henry frowned. "You're an empath?"

"Oh, right, you never knew that," Phoebe said. She shook her head waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever. It doesn't matter. The point is that we are going to save Paige. So you just go home and she'll be back before you know it. Okay?"

Phoebe gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder and was thrown into a premonition.

_She was in a different house, in someone's kitchen. Half-eaten bowls of cereal sat on the table, along with some unopened mail. Phoebe squinted at at the name printed on the letters: Anderson._

_A scream made her spin around to see a body on the floor. It was a woman, her pink bathrobe stained with dark red blood, her eyes frozen open._

_Phoebe suddenly found herself in the living room. There was a man in an armchair and a young boy on the floor in front of the television. Cartoon animals paraded across the screen, but neither man nor boy watched them; both were dead. _

_Another scream. Phoebe followed it towards the back of the house. She felt herself being pulled to one door in particular, several "KEEP OUT" signs posted upon it. Without opening the door, Phoebe was in the room._

_A girl with black hair and looking to be about nineteen was there, sitting on the floor, back up against the wall. She was shaking with fear and tears were streaming down her face._

_The closed door started to rattle on its hinges and Phoebe turned to it just as the door burst open._

Phoebe gasped for air as she came out of her vision. She realized she was gripping Henry's shoulder very tightly and dropped her arm to her side. Henry looked very confused.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Premonition," Phoebe breathed. She closed her eyes and tried to remember every detail. "Murder at someone's house... I think their name was Anderson. The rest of the family was dead, but there was this girl with black hair..." She opened her eyes and looked up at Henry. "She's in trouble."

Henry frowned. "Girl with black hair? Raven Anderson? That's one of my parolees."

"Okay, call the police and get over there as fast as you can."

"What about you?" Henry asked.

"Piper and I have to go save Paige," Phoebe said. "We don't have time for this."

"But the police aren't prepared to take on demons," Henry said.

Phoebe shook her head. "I don't think it's demons that do it. I didn't see any. Even if it is demons, they don't want to get exposed anymore than we do, so if you get enough people there they won't stick around."

"Okay. Call me the minute you get Paige back," Henry said, running back to his car.

Piper came into the foyer as Phoebe was closing the door.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Henry, looking for Paige," Phoebe said.

"Did you tell him...?"

Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, he didn't take it that well. But then I got a premonition about one of his parolees and that took his mind off of it."

"Wait, what?" Piper asked. "What premonition?"

"Some kind of murder," Phoebe said. "But he's getting the police and is going to take care of it."

"Phoebe, you get premonitions for a reason. Shouldn't we be the ones dealing with this?"

"Maybe I got it so I could warn him," Phoebe said with a shrug. "Besides, we don't have time for that, literally. We need to go save Paige. Do you have the potion?"

Piper held up two vials filled with a purple liquid. "You have some sort of spell?"

Phoebe shook her head. "No, but I do have an idea. A few weeks ago Coop took me back in time to see my past loves. I thought maybe he would let us use his ring to be able to go back and get Paige."

Piper frowned. "Wait, he can go back in time? Why didn't he say anything to me when I was trying to reverse time before?!"

Phoebe shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well summon his ass so I can ask him," Piper snapped.

Phoebe called for Coop and he appeared in a flash of pink light. Piper wasted no time to start grilling him.

"You can go back in time?" she asked angrily, crossing her arms.

"Uh... Maybe?" Coop said, glancing from Piper to Phoebe. "What's going on?"

"Paige is stuck in the past," Phoebe said. "I was wondering if we could use your ring to go back and get her."

Coop sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, Phoebe. I can't let you do that. It's against the rules."

"So that's why you didn't say anything before?" Piper asked.

"Yeah," Coop said with a nod. "But I knew then that you would find another way, and you did."

"Yeah, by making a deal with a demon," Piper said. "A deal which we still haven't fulfilled."

"Oh, right," Phoebe muttered. "Nomed."

Piper nodded. "Yes, him. Now, we need Paige to vanquish him, so will you please just give us the ring?"

Coop shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Fine." Piper flicked her hands and Coop froze in place.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked.

"Saving our sister." Piper took the ring off of Coop's finger and slipped it onto her own, where it fit perfectly. "Hmm. Apparently one size fits all." She looked at Phoebe. "You coming or not?"

Phoebe glanced at Coop. "Oh, he's going to be pissed," she moaned, joining her sister.

Piper handed Phoebe one of the vials. "Drink that," she said, gulping down her own. After Phoebe was finished she took the vial back and placed both of them on the small table next to the wall.

"That was gross," Phoebe said, making a face.

"Ready?" Piper asked, taking Phoebe's hand. She closed her eyes and waited. After a moment, she peeked open one eye to find that they hadn't moved. She opened both eyes and let out and aggravated sigh. "How the hell does this thing work?"

"Don't ask me," Phoebe said.

"Well, how did Coop make it work with you?"

Phoebe bit her lip. "I think he used it to follow the pull of my heart...?"

"Are you asking me, or telling me?"

"Let's just both focus on Paige!"

The two closed their eyes once more and, after a long moment, disappeared in a flash of pink light.

Coop unfroze and looked around.

"What...? Where'd they go?" he wondered aloud. He looked down at his hand and noticed his ring was missing. "Ah crap..."

-x-

Raven ran through the woods, not bothering to go around the trees, instead passing right through them. Her long black hair flowed behind her, rippling in the wind like a dark liquid. Her hair had used to be red, but she had gotten so sick of her parents calling her their little "cherry berry." Along with her hair she had changed her name to Raven. She didn't tell anyone her real name, and gave her parents a look of death anytime they started to say it.

She ran through the woods until she came around the the back of her one story home that sat on the edge of the woods. She fixed her hair in the reflection of a window and straightened her leather jacket. She loved leather. She just loved the way it felt on her skin. It was one of the few things she wore and everything she wore was black. One day her mom had given her a pink blouse; Raven had burned it.

Moving towards the wall, Raven passed right through it, reveling in the strange, but exhilarating feeling it gave her. She loved being a witch. Her whole family were witches, but she was different. They barely used their powers, and, when they did, it was only for doing good, like helping people. Gross.

"Why should I help others when I can help myself?" Raven had said many times.

Her parents told her that to use her powers for personal gain was wrong and that there would be consequences. But Raven didn't care. She decided that since everyone else used their natural abilities to help themselves succeed, she was going to do the same.

Raven pulled the wad of money out of her jacket pocket and smiled, flipping through the bills to see how much she had been able to steal from the liquor store's safe. It was a lot, but she could have gotten a lot more if the owner hadn't interfered with his shotgun. She slid open the top drawer of her dresser and stuffed the money inside, hiding it under her collection of thongs.

She hadn't really been afraid of the gun; it wasn't a threat to her. The bullet just went right through her. The thing she was afraid of was of being seen. Raven pulled the security tape out of her other jacket pocket and dropped it in the trash. Hopefully it had been dark enough that the store owner hadn't seen her face properly. If he had, she'd be in it deep with her parole officer, and then she'd probably be shipped off to jail.

Raven had gotten caught before. But since she hadn't hurt anyone, and vowed to be a good little girl, the judge let her go. All she got was some community service and a parole officer. She didn't really mind having to go see him. She thought he was hot.

Once, she had thought that after her dues were paid that she and him could get together. But then she found out he had gotten married.

"Lucky chick," Raven had thought. "He's a keeper."

Even though he was taken, that didn't mean she couldn't still fantasize about him. Or flirt with him. That wasn't against the law.

"Not that I would care if it was," she said to herself. She turned around and a pink sock on the floor, almost lost amongst a bunch of other strewn about laundry, caught her eye. Raven sighed.

"Nice try, mom," she said. "But you know I don't wear pink. Not even pink socks."

The sock suddenly started to grow and warp, and a moment later it had become a middle aged woman dressed in a pink bathrobe. Her arms were crossed and a mix of anger and disappointment was etched on her face.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

Raven shrugged. "Out," was all she said.

"Don't lie to me!" her mother snapped. "What did you rob this time? A bank?"

"Too many cameras with too many tapes. The liquor store only had one."

"Dammit!" her mother yelled. She ran a hand through her graying hair. "Why are you doing this again? Do you _want_ to go to jail?"

"No, but if I did it wouldn't matter. Not even they could hold me, you know that."

"That is not the point! You are using your powers for personal gain."

"Who made up the rules about the right way to use our powers?" Raven countered. "You? I don't think so. They're my powers and I am going to use them any way I want."

"But you could expose magic."

Raven shrugged again. "So? It's stupid to just hide it. We could be rich. We could be famous. But no, we just act like normal people, hiding who we really are when we're better than them."

"Don't think that way. You want to be racist?"

"Oh please," Raven groaned, rolling her eyes. "Don't go all Martin Luther King on me, Mom. I'm not racist, I'm just stating a fact. Can the regular old guy on the street walk through walls? No. If he tried, he'd break his nose. But I can. See? Better."

"Ann--"

"Ah!" Raven held up a trembling finger, suddenly very angry. "That's not my name. My name is Raven and you know it."

Her mother sighed and shook her head. Without another word, she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Raven smiled and flopped down on her bed. "I win again."

There was a sudden scream and Raven sat bolt upright, all of her cocky demeanor gone.

"... Mom?"

-x-

Piper and Phoebe appeared in a muddy field in a flash of pink light. All around them were knights in what would be shining armor, if not for all the mud. Several were bent over bodies that were dead on the ground, taking anything of value.

A few knights suddenly noticed the sisters and yelled out, drawing their swords.

"More prisoners to take," one said.

"Yet they dress quite strangely," said another. "Like the one Horace took earlier."

"What does it matter how they dress?" said a third. "They are still good for the taking." He smiled and licked his lips, eyeing Piper. "Load them into the wagon. We'll take them back to the castle."

"Or..." Piper waved her hands and the knights froze in their tracks. "Potions worked."

"Piper, wait," Phoebe said.

"Wait for what?" Piper snapped. "Did you see the look in that guy's eyes? I don't even want to think about what I think he's thinking about."

"But didn't you hear them?" Phoebe asked. "They said there was another one. That must be Paige. And if they want to take us back to the castle..."

"Then that must be where Paige is," Piper concluded.

"Yes. Now unfreeze them so we can be taken prisoner."

Piper sighed. "Fine. But if he makes one move on me I can't be held responsible for what I might do."

"Piper," Phoebe said, a warning tone in her voice. "You can't blow him up. That would probably mess up the fabric of time."

"Okay, okay. But you can't stop me from kicking him where the sun don't shine."

"That I'm okay with," Phoebe said.

Piper waved her hands again and time restarted.

"Easy!" Piper yelled as the knight that was eyeing her grabbed her by the arm.

The two sisters were dragged to a horse drawn wagon and thrown in the back, where another knight chained their wrists.

"Kinky," Phoebe said with a wry smile.

"Oh, shut up," Piper muttered.

-x-

"Okay, tell me again what we're doing here?" Billie asked. She and Christy had just appeared in the woods behind Raven's house, via teleportation potion.

"Dumain got word that a clan of demons were going to attack this family of witches," Christy explained. "He thinks we may be too late to save the rest of the family, but we may be able to save the teenage daughter."

They made their way out of the woods and around to the front of the house. Several police cars were parked in the driveway and by the curb, lights flashing. An ambulance was also there; a covered body on a gurney was being loaded into it.

"Uh oh," Billie said.

"What?" Christy asked.

"Henry," Billie said, pointing.

Henry stood near the front door of the house, talking to a police officer. He glanced over and saw them, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Let's get out of here," Billie hissed.

Christy grabbed her sister's arm and held her still. "No, wait. We have to find this girl. It's important. We can't let a mortal scare us away."

"But--" Billie stopped talking as Henry came walking over. He tried to act confident; they wouldn't dare try to hurt him in such a crowd. At least, that's what he hoped.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked.

"We came to stop the demons," Christy said casually.

"So it was demons..." Henry said, mostly to himself.

Christy tilted her head and smiled. "Oh, you didn't know?"

"How did you?" Henry responded.

Christy's smile widened. "We have our resources." She paused and the smile turned into a frown. "But you... How did you and the police get here so fast? The attack couldn't have happened more than a few minutes ago. Besides, you're not a police officer, so why would you be here anyway?"

"Phoebe had a--" Henry stopped himself as he realized he shouldn't be telling those two anything about the sisters.

"A premonition?" Christy asked. She could tell by Henry's expression that she was right. "Well, where is she?"

"Uh..."

"Not here, right?" Christy smirked. "Getting the premonition seemed like enough for her, huh? Actually coming and stopping it was too much work?"

They stepped out of the way as another gurney was pushed by.

"Just think," Christy said, eyeing the gurney. "If she and her sisters cared about anyone but themselves, they could have stopped this from happening."

"That's not true," Henry protested.

"Uh huh." Christy turned away and watched as another gurney came out through the front door. "Is that it? Three bodies?"

Henry nodded. "Middle-aged woman and man, and a young boy." He sighed and whispered, "I hope Raven's okay."

"Raven," Billie said. "She must be the girl we have to save."

"Dumain said she had the power of phasing," Christy said. Her eyes flicked back to the house. "So she might still be hiding in there."

"Wait," Henry said, confused. "Raven's a witch?"

Christy nodded and turned to Billie. "Let's go."

"Where are you going?" Henry called after them.

The sisters ignored him and walked around to the back of the house. They came to a window and Christy tried to open it. "Locked," she muttered.

"Allow me." Billie waved her hand and they heard the lock click.

Christy gave it another try and the window slid up and open. The two climbed in and looked around the dim room. The sun was just high enough in the sky to give them enough light to see without turning on any lights.

Christy glanced around at the very teenage messiness of the place. "This looks like her room."

Billie opened the door to the closet, too a quick look inside, then closed it again. She turned back to Christy and shrugged. "I don't see her anywhere. Maybe she ran off."

"Maybe." Christy got up off the floor from looking under the bed and turned to her sister. Her eyes widened as she saw a dark haired girl suddenly rise up from the floor behind Billie. "Look out!"

Before Billie could react, Raven grabbed onto her, wrapping her arm around Billie's throat. Billie latched onto the arm and bent forward, flipping the girl over her back and onto the floor. Raven leapt up and took a fighting stance as Billie circled around her to stand next to Christy.

"Hey, we're not here to hurt you," Billie said, her hands raised in a gesture of nonviolence.

"We want to help you," Christy said. "We know your family was killed by demons. We were coming to stop them, but... we arrived too late. We're sorry."

Raven stared at them through her fierce green eyes, which were filled with pain and anger, but most of all, fear. She slowly dropped her arms to her sides. "Are you witches?" she asked.

Christy nodded. "Yes. A friend of our's told us about the demon clan that was going to attack your family. We came to help."

"Well, you're too late," Raven spat. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that were just begging to pour from her eyes. Never in her life had she been one to cry, but now the urge to was almost unbearable.

"Look," Billie said, "We know what you're going through."

Raven gave a harsh laugh. "How could you possibly know what I'm going through? Have you lost your family to demons?"

"Yes."

Raven was taken aback. All she could say was, "Oh."

"But I still have my sister," Billie said, motioning to Christy. "We help each other get through the hard times. Maybe we can also help you."

"How?" Raven asked.

Billie shrugged. "We can at least give you a safe place to stay."

"Maybe we can do more than that," Christy said, a strange glint in her eye. "You see... we know who sent those demons." Billie shot her sister an inquisitive look, but Christy continued. "We can help you get revenge."

There was a long beat of silence, in which Raven's eyes flicked back and forth between the two Jenkins sisters, judging their sincerity. Finally she said, "Just let me grab some clothes."

-x-

Back in the past a grand party was taking place in the castle's large dining hall. Playful music played as court jesters did flips and tricks in between the several tables of the hall, where noble men and women talked and laughed while they ate.

Up at the King's table, which was raised up on a platform of stone, Paige sat next to the King himself. He was quite a large man, with salt-and-pepper hair and a white mustache. He sat watching Paige with adoring eyes, chin in one hand, a goblet of mead in the other.

Paige was now dressed in a large green gown and looked very uncomfortable, now and then scratching her arms in annoyance at the itchy fabric.

"You are the most beautiful maiden I have ever laid eyes upon," the King said airily.

"Yeah, you've mentioned that," Paige said, then muttered, "Like five times already."

A servant came by and set a large plate in front of her, on which laid a roasted pig with its head still attached. Paige looked disgusted. She grabbed the servant's sleeve and tugged lightly.

"Is there a problem, your grace?"

"Uh, you know, I'm actually a... vegetarian." She nodded fervently as she latched onto that idea. "Yep, that's it. Vegetarian. Sorry."

The servant looked at her questioningly. "What may be this 'vegetarian' that you speak of?"

"Oh, right. You wouldn't know what that is," Paige said. "Okay, well, it means that I don't eat meat."

The servant stared at her.

"You know what, roasted pig is fine. Just... fine. Not exactly a BLT, but, hey, whatcha' gonna do?" More staring. Paige wracked her brain for a way to make him leave. "Now... begone!" she said with a wave of her hand. "Before I turn you into a... turnip, or... something."

The servant's eyes widened and he scurried off. Paige grinned and sipped her mead.

"I could get used to this."

-x-

"The first thing I'm going to do when we get home is burn these clothes," Phoebe said. She and Piper sat in the back of the rickety wagon as it was pulled along towards the castle by a tired looking horse.

"Hopefully you'll change out of them first," Piper said with a smirk.

Phoebe glared. "Of course I will. But I'm just really getting sick of them. I've been wearing these clothes for far too long. Besides, now they have hay stains on them." She grimaced as she wiped some wet hay from her pants.

"I've been wearing mine longer," Piper said. "Time wasn't reversed for me when I was in the Underworld."

"Which brings up another point," Phoebe said. "I died in these clothes. Do you know how much that sucks? When I actually die I want to be wearing something... sexy."

"Hopefully when you actually die you'll be very old with lots and lots of kids." As an afterthought Piper added, "And by then no one will want to see you wearing something sexy."

"Hey!" Phoebe gave her sister a slap.

Piper laughed and then stopped as she looked around. They had arrived at the castle and were in a courtyard just inside the castle walls. The knight that had given Piper the eye from before came around to the back of the wagon to unlock their chains.

"I can't wait to get my hands on you," he said, practically slobbering.

"Oh god," Piper groaned with disgust. Once the chains were off, she waved her hands, freezing the knight, along with everyone else in the courtyard. "Okay, let's go."

She and Phoebe scrambled out of the wagon and ran over to the large double doors that led into the interior of the castle, slipping past the two guards that stood in front of it. Piper tried to open them, but to no avail.

"Locked," she muttered. She took a few steps back and raised her hands.

"Whoa!" Phoebe shouted, grabbing Piper's arms and pulling them down. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I was about to blow up the doors before you stopped me."

"You can't do that," Phoebe said. "That's too much damage, it could cause too much change. Plus, it would alert everyone in the castle. Do we really want that?"

Piper sighed. "I guess not."

"I didn't think so."

"Well then, how do we get in?" Piper asked.

Phoebe looked up and saw an open window. "There," she said, pointing. "I can levitate up there and then come down and let you in."

Piper looked skeptical. "Are you sure?" she asked. "You haven't levitated in over two years." She looked up at the window that was a good fifteen feet above them. "Don't you think that's a little high for one so rusty?"

"Nah," Phoebe said with a shake of her head. "It's just like riding a bike." With that, she leapt into the air, levitating up, and up, until she reached the window sill. She landed, waved down to Piper, then hopped down into the room that the window looked out of.

It was a small room, with a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace built into the left wall. Luckily the room was empty, and Phoebe quickly made her way across it to the door. After making sure the coast was clear, she tiptoed down the hallway and down a flight of stairs. She reached the bottom and peeked around the corner. There was the main doorway, but there were also two knights standing guard. Phoebe bit her lip; how to get past them?

On a whim she stepped out of hiding and called, "Yoo hoo!" She waved and the guards came running towards her. Phoebe bolted back around the corner and got behind a suit of armor. As the guards came around the corner, she pushed and the armor came crashing down on them, slamming them to the floor and knocking them unconscious.

Phoebe checked to make sure they were alright, then ran back to the front doors and pulled them open. Piper stood there with her arms crossed.

"About time," she said. "My freezes don't last forever, you know." She stepped inside the castle and closed the doors behind her, releasing the freeze outside before she did so. "Now to find Paige."

The two walked down the hall, then paused as they reached the unconscious guards. Piper eyed them and the knocked over suit of armor. "I knew I heard something." She threw a look at her Phoebe. "Hypocrite."

"Oh, shush." Phoebe took Piper by the arm and pulled her down the hallway.

-x-

Paige glowered down at her plate, which she hadn't touched, then grabbed her large cloth napkin and threw it over the plate of roasted pig.

"Much better."

She yelped and flinched as the King pinched her. The King laughed and reached for her again. Paige snatched up her fork and stabbed the King's hand. He yowled with pain and retracted his hand, bringing it to his mouth.

Paige grimaced apologetically. "Sorry. Reflex."

"Oh, it is quite alright," the King said as he cradled his hand. "The pain is worth it, just to be in your presence."

"Okay, what is wrong with you?" Paige asked. "All night you have been acting like you're in love with me."

"Because I am!" The King looked into Paige's eyes, which she now noticed were slightly glazed over. The King gave a stupid grin and said, "Which is odd, for nigh a month ago I was going to have you killed." He laughed and swigged his drink. "But that is all in the past. Now, let me kiss you."

Paige gave a nervous laugh and leaned away from him. "Now, while that sounds like a hoot and a half, we'll have to postpone it because I have to... uh... go to the bathroom.

She leapt up from her chair just as the King leaned in for a smooch, causing him to topple over. Paige barely glanced back as she scurried away and exited through a side door and found herself in the kitchen. She leaned against the wall, closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh. After a long moment she opened them again to find the kitchen servants all watching her.

"Hey, how ya doin'?" More staring. On a whim Paige said, "You know, the King's plate is looking pretty empty out there..."

That did it. Immediately the servants jumped into action, bolting around the kitchen and now ignoring Paige completely. She momentarily smiled, then looked heavenward.

"Okay, I'm ready to go home now."

-x-

Working on making Paige's wish come true, Piper and Phoebe slunk down an upstairs hallway, arms linked. Phoebe suddenly halted and Piper stumbled.

"What is it?" Piper asked.

"It's Paige," Phoebe said. "I can sense her."

"Well what are you getting from her?" the older sister asked, worried. "Pain? Fear?"

"No... confusion." Phoebe walked slowly forward, then paused at an intersection, looking from right to left.

Piper frowned. "Is it mine?"

"Ssh!" Phoebe pointed left. "This way."

They arrived at an open doorway, where the sounds of screaming and clashing swords echoed off the stone walls. The two peeked around the door and saw _themselves_ chained to a wall while Leo was fighting with a guard.

"Oh, my god," Piper whispered. "We're in the world of the Evil Enchantress. A.K.A., Paige's past life."

"We sure are seeing a lot of her lately," Phoebe mused.

Piper sighed as she watched her husband fight. "I miss him."

"I know," Phoebe said sympathetically. "I do too."

"Do you think maybe we could just go in there and warn them?"

"No!" Phoebe hissed. "That could change everything about our future."

"Maybe for the better," Piper said. "Can't we just tell them that in four years some blonde chick is going to intrude on their lives, and if they see her they should just kill her?"

"Piper..."

"Yeah, yeah," Piper grumbled. "It's just nice to dream." She frowned and squinted her eyes. "Hey... Who's that under the table?"

Phoebe looked and her eyes widened. "Oh. Well, that would just be me and Paige..."

"And you and Paige are there because...?"

"Remember that spell you cast when you and Leo first went to marriage counseling?"

"Ah," Piper said with a nod. "Enough said."

"Oh crap," Phoebe moaned. "I think I was sensing the Paige under the table. That's why I sense the confusion." She paused and looked around. "Okay, my turn for confusion. I'm sensing another Paige."

"It better be the right one this time," Piper muttered.

A sudden explosion was heard from the end of the hall and made the two of them jump. Inside the room their past selves looked up as well.

"What's that sound?" Past Phoebe asked.

"Paige..." Past Piper breathed. Another explosion. "Potion! Potion, potion, potion!"

"Uh oh," Piper whispered.

She and Phoebe stepped back and flattened against the wall as the Piper, Phoebe, and Leo from the past came running out and down the hall toward the sound of more explosions. Piper threw out her left hand after them and their past selves froze in their tracks. She and Phoebe slipped past them, but Piper stopped to look at Leo, heaving a sigh.

"Come on!" Phoebe grabbed Piper by the arm and dragged her down the hallway, Piper following reluctantly.

The two ran down the hall and peeked into another room. This time they saw the Enchantress and Paige from four years before, duking it out by throwing lightning bolts at one another, while the Prince, under a love spell, sat on the bed, watching in confusion.

"Ah crap," Phoebe groaned. "Wrong one."

Piper glanced behind them. "Well, we can't go back the way we came, or we'll run into our past selves."

Phoebe pointed to a door across the room. "We can get out that way."

"Then find _our_ Paige and get the hell out of here." Piper flicked her hands and froze the room. She and Phoebe entered the chamber and made their way for the other door.

"You two!"

The sisters skidded to a stopped and turned to see the Enchantress glowering at the.

"Uh, she didn't freeze," Phoebe said.

Piper rolled her eyes. "I can see that."

The Enchantress suddenly raised her hands, sending a blast of wind at the two sisters. Phoebe dived out of the way, but Piper was sent flying out of a window.

"Piper!" Phoebe yelled. She ran to the window and looked down to see Piper laying in a wagon that sat below the window. Luckily, she had landed on a great heap of dung that sat steaming, freshly shoveled, in the wagon.

"Ah crap!" Piper moaned.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe called from above.

"I'm fine! Just go find the real Paige!"

Phoebe turned from the window as the Enchantress got ready to send another blast of wind her way.

"Oh, no you don't!" Phoebe quickly tapped into the Enchantresse's powers with her empathy and shot a bolt of lightning at her. The Enchantress ducked out of the way, giving Phoebe enough time to run for the door.

She made it through just in time; everything unfroze and Paige was once again on the attack. The Enchantress glanced after Phoebe, then attacked Paige with her own bolt of lighting, who dove out of the way.

The Prince leapt off the bed and got in front of the Enchantress. "Don't hurt her." With a wave of her hand, the Enchantress smacked the Prince against the wall with a burst of wind.

Phoebe peeked back into the room as the Piper, Phoebe, and Leo from the past ran in from the hallway, not being able to resist watching the scene from her past for just a minute.

The Enchantress was flabbergasted. She looked at Piper, then towards the window. "But you..."

"Throw the potion!" Past Paige yelled.

The Enchantress raised her arms to summon another blast of wind, but Paige was too fast, sending her own wind attack from her palms, knocking the Enchantress off her feet.

"Now!" she yelled.

Phoebe watched herself and Piper throw the power stripping potion, then turned and ran down a dim stairwell. As she came out into a hallway, someone suddenly reached out and grabbed her. Phoebe screamed, but stopped when she saw it was Paige.

"Phoebe!" Paige said, relieved. "Finally!"

Phoebe eyed her sister's medieval clothes suspiciously. "You better be the right one."

"Huh?" Paige said with a frown.

"Never mind," Phoebe said. "Are you okay?"

Paige shrugged. "Well, I'm not hurt. But did you know we're in the time of the Evil Enchantress?"

Phoebe nodded. "There have been clues."

"Well everyone here thinks I'm her," Paige continued. "I think she put the King under a spell, which is the only reason why people follow her orders, because the King tells them to."

"Or because she's fricken' scary," Phoebe added.

"That too. Oh, and you know that Prince we met four years ago? He's the King's son."

"So that's why she put him under a love spell. Guess she didn't want to get with the King."

Paige shook her head. "Nope. He's old and ugly." She paused. "And very grabby."

"Right. Well, Piper's waiting outside with Coop's ring."

"Huh?"

"I'll explain later," Phoebe said.

"You!" came an angry voice from down the hall.

The two turned to see the King, face red with anger, marching down the hall towards them.

"Is that the King?" Phoebe asked.

Paige nodded. "Uh huh."

"Guess the spell wore off when our past selves stripped the Enchantress of her powers." When Paige gave her a questioning look, she said, "They're upstairs."

Several guards had now joined the King and they were all running full speed at the two witches.

"Run!" Phoebe yelled.

The sisters ran down the hall, Paige having some difficulty with the large dress she wore. They finally made it to the courtyard, but there were guards there too. The King came up behind them a moment later, a look of satisfaction sitting upon his face. They were surrounded.

"Your spell finally wore off," the King said to Paige. "You will pay with your life for what you have done."

"Phoebe, do something," Paige hissed.

"Uh... Look! A dragon!" Phoebe shouted, pointing to the sky. The King and his guards all looked up in terror. Phoebe and Paige bolted as Phoebe muttered, "I can't believe that worked."

Piper came running up to them. "You the real deal?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"It's her," Phoebe said.

"Good," Piper said. "Then let's get out of here." She held out her hand to Paige, who scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"Ew. Piper, what is that smell?"

"Well, I landed in sh--"

"Can we just go?!" Phoebe yelled.

The guards were coming for them again. The sisters grasped hands and the ring on Piper's finger glowed. Just before the guards reached them, they disappeared in a flash of pink light.

"Where'd they go?" the King wondered.

He turned and saw the Enchantress trying to sneak out of the castle as she made her way towards a horse. Now that her powers were gone, she knew that she had to get far away from the castle.

"There she is!" the King yelled. "Kill her!"

The Enchantress ran, screaming, as all the King's men chased after her.

-x-

The sisters appeared in the manor, next to the stairs.

"Home sweet home," Paige said with a pleasant sigh.

At that moment, Coop came in from the dining room, clearly angry.

"Piper, what did you think you were doing?"

"Look, we got Paige back, and here's your ring, safe and sound." She slipped the ring off her finger and handed it to Coop. "Now, I'm going to go take a very long shower."

"And I'm going to change," Phoebe said. "I'm so glad I still have some clothes here."

"Me too," Paige said. "This dress is kind of itchy and _so_ not me."

The sisters headed up the stairs, leaving Coop to stare after them.

"Oh." Piper paused and looked back. "You might want to wash that." With that, she turned and raced up the stairs.

Coop frowned and looked down at his ring. He sniffed it and reeled back in disgust. "Yeah," he muttered. "I'll do that."

-x-

"Why did you say we know who sent the demons?" Billie asked.

She and Christy were in one of the many studies of Magic School, while Raven waited out in the Great Hall. Billie stood with her arms crossed, while Christy leaned against the dusty desk, completely at ease.

"Well, we don't," Christy admitted. "But we can tell her that the Charmed Ones did it."

Billie frowned. "Why?"

"Billie, don't you understand? We are losing this battle," Christy said. "The Charmed Ones are too strong for us. I thought we could use some help, and having Raven think that the Charmed Ones sent those demons will motivate her to help us. We could use another witch on our side."

"But it's a lie," Billie said.

Christy shrugged. "Not really," she said. "We know from Henry that Phoebe got a premonition of the attack. She and her sisters could have stopped Raven's family from being killed. But they didn't. They may as well have sent the demons. Either way, another family is dead because of them."

Billie opened her mouth to respond when a demon shimmered into the room. Billie cried out in surprise, and was about to send him flying, when Christy stopped her.

"Wait! I asked him to come here," she said.

"What?" Billie gasped. "Are you out of your mind? He's a demon!"

"He's an Alchemist," Christy corrected. "And he's willing to help us."

"Help us do what, exactly?" Billie asked.

"You'll see," Christy said with a grin. That same glint from before was back in her eye. Billie couldn't explain why, but it sent shivers up her spine.

Christy led the way out to the Great Hall, where Raven was sitting on a couch, staring down at a photo.

"Raven, I'd like you to meet someone," Christy said.

Raven stuffed the photo into her pocket and wiped her eyes before standing up. "Yeah? Who?"

Christy motioned to the alchemist. "This is Kelmar."

Raven glanced at Kelmar, giving him and his strange robes the once over. "And I should care because...?"

Christy laid a hand upon Raven's shoulder. The younger girl flinched, but did not move away. "I know you're angry," Christy said. "You've lost your family. So Billie and I want you to become a part of ours. Not symbolically, but literally. Kelmar is an Alchemist and he can change your blood to make it _our_ blood."

Raven shook her head and turned away. "That's crazy."

Christy pressed on. "We'd become sisters and become much stronger as witches. Strong enough to enact vengeance on the ones who sent the demons after your family."

At this, Raven looked back at Christy, intrigued.

_What are you doing? _Billie thought, knowing Christy could hear her.

_Trust me_, Christy answered telepathically. "Well?" she said to Raven.

Raven looked down at the floor for a long moment. Then: "Let's do it."

Christy smiled. "Good." She motioned to Kelmar, who stepped over and pulled out an athame. Raven jumped back. "It's okay, he just needs some blood for the magic to work." She paused, then said pointedly, "Can you handle that?"

Raven's tough image reset itself. "'Course."

"Hold out your arm," Kelmar said.

Raven did as told and Kelmar cut a line into her arm, blood trickling from it to drip and splatter on the floor. He did the same with Christy and then held his hands over both arms. Electrical energy sprang from his finger tips and entered the wounds. After several moments the energy stopped; the cuts were healed.

"It is done," Kelmar said.

Christy grinned and wrapped her arm around Raven. "Welcome to the family."

Billie stood behind them and watched, as a look of growing doubt shrouded her face.

_**To be continued...**_


End file.
